A Life Behind Bars
by fashiongirl97
Summary: When all is said and done, all anyone wants is to be happy, whether that be thanks to something big or small. When the team go into the bar one evening, they expected nothing more than to wake up the next morning with a hangover. Except what they get caught up in is something very different all together. With Drugs, Crime and pain on the cards, does happiness stand a chance? AU
1. Drink in my hand

**Disclaimer – I don't own NCIS or the song**

**Authors note – here goes another one! Hope you all enjoy, it's AU. Kate died but marrow never left. Ziva is still at Mossad as I couldn't worm her into this one unfortunately. The first chapter is a re-post but the rest is not. It's set around season 3-5, not sure which one yet, sorry. **

**Italics indicate a flashback.**

**And i want to quickly say an enormous thanks to Left My Heart in Paris, because she has been a really good friend to me and seriously cheered me up these last few days, so thankyou Meg!**

**Anyhow, hope you all enjoy!**

**-Life Behind Bars-**

_**Thursday, 11pm**_

"_You're dealing in my bar!" she shouted at the twenty something man who stood in front of her. His hair was dark brown and slicked back with gel, his shirt white and open neck. A young lad who'd she'd got working for her when she first opened the Duke two and a half years ago. He'd been young, innocent and just wanting to make some money whilst he went through college. Now, after training him up and teaching him the ways of the world here he stood. Her aunt had had suspicions when he started passing small packets of stuff over the bar. Then an hour ago he'd had some rough looking guy out in the bar. Her aunt and come and got her. After walking round the back she'd seen him stuffing two kilo packets of white stuff in his locker. _

"_Aww come on! Like this place is really as clean as you think!" He shouted back. When she'd bought this place three years ago she'd had a dream of creating a pub, a clean pub with no fights, and no dealing. Three years on she had her dream. For dealing they were chucked out, for fighting they had another life, and for anything else she kept a book with three strikes in it. It sounded like a pre-school thing but it worked, it meant marines could return from duty and not have to worry, with keys put behind the bar on order of the third drink and a sticky note with name on top her bar had become frequented by many marines._

"_Oh, believe me, I know everything that goes on here, now, I want you to get out of my bar this instant, d'you here me? I want you out on your ear. You'll get your owed pay, but I don't wanna see ya around here no more." She responded, she knew she couldn't know everything but she tried her hardest and to know what went on she had to trust her staff, something that she couldn't do if one member was not on the same side as the rest of them were. _

"_Oh come on . . ." He was trying to find leverage, get her to give in, but if the look that was currently in her eye was anything to go by then he knew his chances were slim. _

"_No, that's it. Empty your locker." And with that she returned to the bar and began to serve her customers. Putting on a smile, she chatted away to the regulars who always cracked jokes as she worked. She smiled sympathetically at the ones wanting to drown their sorrows and honoured the ones who'd just returned from protecting their country. _

_**Friday, 9pm**_

Tony DiNozzo, Timothy McGee, Abby Scuito, Ducky Mallard and a reluctant Leroy Jethro Gibbs walked into 'DC's Duke' bar just outside the Navy Yard. Marines often went here, but so did NCIS Agents, knowing they could go somewhere that was clean. Now, these agents walked into the bar as they did every Friday, only this time they had managed to get their boss to come too. "Alright, you lot get a booth, I'll deal with the drink, Abs with me!" Said Tony as he watched his friends go over and get a booth. The bar was comfy, and warn in. Nothing fancy but not run down. On the right hand side stood the bar, slightly rounded and wooden. The floorboards were original and glossed. Around the edge were booths, brown tan leather with bronze studding around the edge, dark wood tables, and matching bar stools. At the far end was a small stage, which when busy often became seating too. But the real reason was that the owner loved to play guitar and although sometimes she played sat on the edge of the bar, sometimes she played on stage. But what made this bar unique was not only the walls which hung with pictures of visitors who regularly came but also that she somehow managed to get big name bands to come and play. Then, on occasions buskers would come inside and play away. One wall had pictures of fallen marines, and messages to those away at sea, messages to everyone. There was even a proposal of marriage somewhere amongst the black writing. That was what made this place so busy, the fact it was like no other bar - anywhere.

"Eye Eye Captain!" Said the bubbly Goth saluting.

"Wrong hand Abs." the Italian responded light heartedly. Abby just laughed and followed him to the bar. Both sat down on stools and waited to be served. The young red head who owned the place walked over wearing a gentle smile. Tony admired her whilst Abby simply rolled her eyes.

The red head wore a white shirt, rolled up at to the elbows, as all bar staff did - only hers was baggy and tucked in to a pair of faded grey jeans with which she wore a pair of high heeled black leather pumps. On her wrists were handfuls of bracelets and on her nails was bright orange nail varnish. Her makeup was light, with just a natural look but she had perfect features. Her red hair was tied in a high messy bun. She looked at the two with a natural smile which told everyone that she loved her job."What can I get ya?" she questioned, surprisingly enough in an English accent, but not one of those stereotypical snobbish ones, a natural Yorkshire accent that everyone loved.

"Well darlin' I'll have two beers." He said in a fake cockney accent.

"Three." Added Abby, noticing how Tony was checking out the other woman.

"Sorry, make that three, one scotch on the rocks." He added as the lady placed them in front of him rolling her eyes at the accent that appeared once again.

"That all sugarplum?" she questioned in a Yankee accent making Tony laugh.

"And one bourbon: neat."

"Bourbon, acquired taste that." She commented with a smirk as she walked over to the bottle in the corner and poured a shot into the clear glass before placing it down with the rest of the order.

"Paint thinner more like." Commented Tony, as he handed over the correct money.

"Yeah? Know someone who would disagree." She commented, nodding to an older red head who was serving the other end of the bar whilst chatting away and flirting too.

"DiNozzo! You getting those drinks or what?" shouted an older silver haired man from the corner where the rest of the group was seated.

"Well then 'DiNozzo', guess you'll be going." She said with a cute smirk forming on her lips before walking off. Next thing Tony knew he was being head slapped, by Abby who had her head tilted and wore a knowing look. He just glared at her before they both returned over to the booth the rest of the team had secured for them and began to dish out the tray of drinks to their corresponding owners.

"What?! I'm only doing what Gibbs would do! After all, I thought you were giving up on women!"

"Yeah…" He began laughing. "About that . . ."

Behind the bar the two women were busy serving drinks. "What would'you give him then Ali?" questioned the older redhead to her niece as she smiled at the customer she was currently serving.

"A lot more that you'd give him." Replied the younger red head: Alison Shepard. Ali had grown up in the UK, gone to boarding school and barely ever seen her parents who were high ranking marines in the Royal Navy. Summers had been spent in camp until she had rung her Aunt Jenny who was a US cop, and asked her if she could go over there for her summers as she was sick of summer camp. Of course her aunt had been more than pleased. At the age of 18 Alison had gone to London University to study law and then become a police officer with the Met. and follow in her auntie's footsteps. Only in her third year she had given up after realising it was not what she wanted to do and moved over to the states. When her aunt had been shot whilst on a raid in DC Ali had gone over to see her. She'd been working as a barmaid down in Miami, but when she saw the old storage shed just outside of the Navy Yard she'd decided to spend her inheritance off of her grandparents on it. Six months later she'd been doing it up. Her Aunt had left the police, and with money under her belt from the years in the PD and a million dollar inheritance that she'd never touched, Jenny Shepard had decided to spend her life helping out her niece seeming as she was no longer fit for service.

"Why's that?" Asked the older woman, as she put the money into the till.

"Because; according to him Bourbon is paint thinner." Laughed Ali, and as she went back to work Jenny cast a look over at the table the man had retreated to. There were two younger men, and a young woman who looked like they were the ones dominating the conversation, all drinking beer. An older man who was drinking scotch and looked to be the occasional domineer when he felt the topic needed changing, then the other man. He had salt and pepper hair, eyes that were a piercing blue, he was fit, muscles that were large and strong. She looked at him drinking bourbon, strong and silent. And at the same moment he looked over and caught her eyes. Her bright green eyes, and her blazing red hair. She wore a tailored white blouse and looked completely different and yet similar too to the other younger red head too. Yet she was beautiful. Only when Ali called her aunt they broke away, too soon for both of them.

"Hey Jenny, can you go down to the basement and change the barrel?" questioned Ali after failing to poor a pint for a waiting customer.

"Course I can." Replied the older Shepard before heading to the door behind the bar.

"You need a hand with that darling, from a strong man?" Questioned one of the marines with a wink which made both red head's laugh – some things never did change where customers were concerned.

"Oh if only you knew!" The older red head stated with a wicked smirk on her face. The she went, disappearing and leaving her niece to work.

"Hey red!" One of the regular Navy officers shouted.

"Hey! What can I get ya?" She questioned with a smile to the familiar officer who often came to the bar and always smiled and chatted away.

"So . . . seeming as I've returned after protecting the country and everything." He said flexing his muscles.

"Seeming as?" She replied with a knowing smirk, leaning on the bar.

"Well, how about you give us a song, eh?" He questioned.

"I dunno Jack." She responded. And before she knew it the whole bar was chanting 'sing'. So with the crowd chanting and her laughing she grabbed the old guitar from where it hung which she'd got from a boyfriend back when she was in secondary school, and sat on the bar with her feet on a stool. "Okay! Seeming as you all asked ever so nicely. This, is drink in my hand by Eric Church. So, here goes you loadda pain in the ass guys:" And with that she went into a world of her own as she began to strum the beet with her orange painted nails and bracelets that went up her arms. One leg dangled down off of the bar whilst the other rested on the bar stood next to her. And as she went on Tony Dinozzo sat in his chair, eyes fixed on the girl playing away. He watched as her eyes fluttered closed occasionally, as she watched finger or looked up. She looked beautiful and snag so too.

"Early Monday morning to Friday at five,  
Man I work work work but I don't climb climb climb,  
Boss man can shove that overtime up his can,  
All I wanna do is put a drink in my hand ,

"Fill it up I'll throw it down,  
I got a forty hour week worth of trouble to drown,  
No need to complicate it I'm a simple lass,  
All you gotta do is put a drink in my hand,

"Yeah the parking lot is muddy can't get to the door,  
I take my jacked up drop er down in 4x4,  
Chill down a long neck, warm up the band,  
All you gotta do is put a drink in my hand,

"Fill it up I'll throw it down,  
I'm about to tear a new one in this old town,  
All you gotta do is put a drink in my hand,"

And as she strummed the last few bars on her beet up, sticker clad old guitar the whole band sung along. "If you wanna impress me baby then here's my plan, all you gotta do is put a drink in my hand!"

And everyone laughed. As she sang, and the bar was fixated on her, Gibbs slipped to the back where her aunt stood watching, standing next to her he smiled. "She'd good."

"She is that." Stated the red head. "You're the bourbon guy huh?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Nothing much, you got taste though."

"Not everyone would agree."

"I second that." And they both laughed. Smiling and feeling relaxed as they slipped out of the roles that were expected of them both.

"You erm," yet his invitation was cut off as his phone rang. "Sorry."

"It's fine." She said smiling and walking back to the bar. Gibbs sighed as he missed his chance.

"Yeah, Gibbs . . . on our way." Stated Gibbs. Work called, and they had a body even if they weren't on call. He just thanked god he had only had one small shot of bourbon and could still drive.

As the group left, Ali put her guitar back, and both of the Shepards got back to work. But as Gibbs and Tony went, both looked back on two women who had walked into their lives in one night. And both now slipped into work roles, all ideas of a fun evening were out of the window.

**a/n- please leave me a review and tell me if you want more!**


	2. If you could see me now

_Disclaimer – I don't own NCIS_

_Authors note- thank you all for your reviews, they mean a lot as do your favourites and alerts. I hope you all like this chapter, it is a little bit more case orientated but it fits in well in my mind. Anyway, I will stop wittering and let you read._

"_Take that rage, put it on a page, take the page to the stage , blow the roof off the place, I'm just tryin' to make you proud" – The script, if you could see me now. It fits with parts of this chapter and is just an amazing song – end of._

**-A Life Behind Bars-**

_**Friday, 10:30pm**_

It turned out that the crime scene they were called to, was in fact only a matter of minutes away from the bar in which they had been in only moments ago. Gibbs had finally managed to get his team into work mode and soon found himself stepping under the yellow tape that sectioned off the crime scene just five minutes' walk away from the edge of the Navy Yard. He looked around at the mayhem before him, they all did. The dark of night was lit up by spot lights and flashing blue and red lights off of the police cars. Officers swarmed around the scene like wasps to jam. Looking around Special Agent Gibbs saw a man who stood away from it all and oversaw everything. He made his way over, Tony and McGee following, whilst Abby trailed behind not knowing what exactly to do as she was not usually at the crime scene. Gibbs observed the man in front of him. He was plain clothes; bear bellied and had a receding hairline. He looked like the kind of Metro cop that usually thought he was the bees knees only to soon discover just how far down the food chain he actually was. "Are you Agent Gibbs?" Questioned the Metro cop.

"Yeah, and you are?"

"Detective Fallows." The other man stated holding out his hand as an offer to shake only to be turned down by Gibbs who ignored the gesture.

"What we got?" Gibbs asked, not impressed he had been called In on his evening off – especially when there was a very pretty red head back at the bar –yet apparently all other teams had two cases so he was back in work.

"Dead man: John Semmons. College student- according to his ID."

2So why we got it? You guys usually jump at murders seeming as you don't get out much."

"He's a reserve officer according to his fingerprint ID. Found by a teenager walking home from his mate's house. Poor lad's over there. He's all yours Gibbs." The cop said before signalling for his people to scatter. Gibbs watched all of a sudden the mayhem went and he was left with something a little more peaceful. Ducky arrived and went over to the body and all of a sudden this was his game.

"McGee, go over the young lad's statement then sketch the scene." Gibbs ordered as McGee ran off. "DiNozzo-"

"Bag and tag, and take photos. On it boss." Stated Tony as he ran off to get to work.

"Abs go help DiNozzo until Ducky's ready to take the body back then ride with him." She nodded and went off after Tony.

Gibbs then located where a squabbling Ducky and Palmer were and made his way over. The sky was clear that night, but it was not warm out due to the cold breeze that bit at his face and he was grateful he'd put on his NCIS jacket before coming out, even if he did try to pretend that the cold did not bother him. Now he looked around and noticed that there were no houses nearby in the area. It was a shortcut he knew, one that linked two of the large marine residential areas.

As Gibbs crouched down next to the ME he looked at the body. It was lying face down; there was no visible blood from the looks of it at this angle. "What we got ducky?"Gibbs questioned.

"Well if we can just turn him over Jethro I will tell you." And with that the body was turned to reveal a large stab wound to the chest. His eyes had gone black from being left open with reach of oxygen for twenty four hours. "The stab wound was pre-mortem, and from the looks of it COD. As for TOD I'll leave that to my assistant, Mr Palmer?"

"Erm . . ." The younger man stammered as he looked at the liver probe in front of him. "Doctor this can't be right."

"Why is that?"

"Because according to this he was killed around 20 hours ago. But wouldn't someone have noticed the body doctor?"

"You'd be amazed Mr. Palmer. Eye blackness, confirms it Jethro. He was killed between around 2300 and 0300 hours this morning."

"Thanks Duck." Said Gibbs as he went off. The ME and his assistant then went on to load the corpse onto the gurney, zip up the body bag and place it into the van before Abby joined them and they went on their way to return to NCIS Headquarters. Moving over to his head field agent Gibbs looked at the younger man awaiting answers.

"We found a cigarette butt about a meter away from the body. There are a few blood drops which may be cast off from the weapon but there is no sign of it. Looks like the killer took it with him. Other than that and a bit of litter we can't see any of it. We're arranging for Metro cops to go around and ask if anyone saw or heard anything but this is DC Boss-"

"The town that sees nothing and hears even less."

"Exactly."

**-A Life Behind Bars-**

_**Saturday, 9am**_

Gibbs walked into the bull pen which considering ever team apparently had cases was remarkably empty. Tony and McGee sat at their desks looking slightly more awake. He'd sent them both home at midnight and told them to get back in for 0730 which for once they had, and remarkably that included Tony. Now they sat there working away. Gibbs walked over to his desk, drinking his coffee as he went. "What we got?" Gibbs questioned as he stood in front of the plasma.

"Okay, so our Vic is John Semmons, College student studying until he can join the corps full time – or so everyone says. According to his friends he was always a quiet lad up until about six months ago when he got in with a different crowd and started appearing distant. His tutors say it was around that time his grades started slipping as he stopped handing in assignments." Sated DiNozzo with a smug smirk.

"I went over his financials. Looked like for the last two and a half years he's been working at DC's Duke Pub where we were last night. However, something does not add up right. Every month he would spent around a grand, then over the rest of the month he brought in two grand more than he should have. That's been going on for the last six months." Sated McGee.

"Could be dealing." Tony suggested. It was funny how both always tried to outdo the other with the amount that they had managed to find out asi f it was a competition.

"We got the tox screen back?" Gibbs questioned.

"No, Abby says it will take another few hours until she had done." Stated McGee.

Gibbs then went over to his desk and pulled out his gin and jacket. "Guess we'd best pay the bar a visit then hadn't we. "McGee: help Abby. DiNozzo: with me." There was a chorus of 'on it boss' as Gibbs walked off leaving both in his wake and causing Tony to run to catch up with his boss. HE managed to just squeeze into the lift as the door closed.

As they drove to the bar neither Gibbs nor Tony spoke, it was strange how they never did. "You think the owner knows something?" questioned Tony looking at his boss.

"Dunno, but something doesn't quite add up and there is only one way to find out." Sated Gibbs before his speed suddenly doubled s he could get there quicker - which they did.

As the pair parked up outside the bar Tony smiled. "It looks a little different in daylight." Said the younger agent as he looked at the old building they were about to walk into. Inside all on the stools were in the process of being taken down from the tables where they had been placed whilst the floor had been washed. Gibbs watched as the same red head he had been talking to last night worked away. She looked more relaxed now that she wasn't officially working. She wore a pair of boot cut jean that fitted her perfectly and hugged all the right places. On her top half she wore an emerald green blouse which was tucked in and rolled up at the sleeves. On her feet were flat dolly shoes in the same green as he blouse. Her hair was tied up in a messy ponytail high on her head, and her makeup was none existent. She turned to the two men.

"Didn't think I'd be seeing either of you tow quite so soon." She said with a smile as she moved the last chair and grabbed a cloth and bucket of warm water and began to wash down the bar. "We don't open until eleven. You're a bit early." She added onto the end.

"NCIS Special Agent's: Gibbs and DiNozzo." Said Gibbs showing his badge which made the woman stop and look at the pair.

"And what can I do for NCIS?" She questioned.

"We found the body of an employee of yours, John semmons." Sated Gibbs.

"Former employee." Ali said as she walked in. Tony's eyes went on her immediately. She was in the process of tying up her red hair so that she could work. She wore a pair of bleached denim jean which were ripped to pieces, a navy t-shirt on which were the words 'Royal Navy' written on it and had belonged to her mother, with a pair of worn grey converse pumps.

"We need to speak to the owner." Said Gibbs.

"You're looking at her." Said Ali. "Me."

"You're the owner?"

"Don't look so shocked agent Gibbs. Age isn't everything. Now, I'll repeat my aunts question, what can I do for you?"

"You said he was your former employee, what did you mean?" Asked Tony.

"He worked here for two and a half years, since I opened. Then my aunt came to me and told me she thought that he was dealing. She'd seen money exchanging hands that didn't go in the till; being a former cop she knew something wasn't right. Then I see him stuffing two kilo packets of white stuff in his locker. You don't need to be a genius to work out what was going on. I confronted him, ten minutes later he'd packed his stuff and he was fired. Simple as."

"And when was this?" Gibbs questioned.

"Thursday night, around 10pm. He left, and I went back into the bar with my aunt - stayed there 'til we closed up at gone 1am. After that I went to bed, left the tidying for in the morning. I haven't seen him since. You can look in his locker if you think it would help. I mean I haven't touched it yet."

"Dinozzo." Gibbs nodded and watched the two go out the back and disappear from sight.

Gibbs then turned back to the other red head that had gone back to cleaning the bar. She looked over after feeling his eyes on her. "Yes?"

"You used to be a cop?"

"Yeah, PD for nearly twenty years."

"Why'd you leave?" He questioned. She looked at him and left her work before walking over to a booth and sitting down. HE followed her lead and sat opposite her.

"I didn't leave out of choice. I was on a raid in DC, not where I usually was but had gotten a lead. The suspect shot me. I killed him but the damage was already done. He'd shot me, meaning that even when I was fully recovered I would lose control of my hands or get shakes. I was deemed unfit for service, and so I was out. Stupid thing is if I went now and signed up, I'd beet half the younger ones hands down."

"How did you end up here?"

"You have a lot of questions agent Gibbs." She said with a smirk. "Ali is my niece. She moved over from the UK after dropping out of law school. She was doing this place up when I left hospital. I helped her out and with no one else who needed me I stayed on. Three years later and I'm glad I did."

"You must be proud."

"Prouder than I have ever been. I never had my own children, I always chose my career. It's ironic that I ended up being fired in no better terms. Ali's parents are marines, haven't spoken in years. She would come to me for summer holidays, we grew close." She looked up at Gibbs. "Why NCIS?"

"Honourably discharged from the corps, then I ended up at NCIS."

"You've lost someone. There's a part of you that you don't open up." Neither said anything else, because both knew it wasn't her nosing, just an observation. "Sorry, I don't know why I'm telling you this. You'll want my alibi as well. I was in the bar with Ali time 1am, then his bed. We have a flat above we sleep in most night. We both have houses but most of the time we're too tired to make it home in all honestly."

"Can any-"

"About fifty people agent Gibbs. We had some buskers in 'til half twelve. Don't ask me their names, they just come in." said Jenny.

"What's you name." Gibbs asked softly.

"Jenny, Jenny Shepard."

"Hey boss! So I ran a substance test in our Vic.'s locker and it came up with cocaine. Other than that there was nothing much of interest, got it all in a bag." Said DiNozzo. Gibbs turned from Jenny's gaze to his younger agent who was standing slightly closer to Ali than was needed.

Gibbs turned to Jenny. "Here's my card, if you think of anything you want to tell me then just ring the number on there." He then handed her the card before leaving. Tony following after saying the same to Ali. Once the two men had left both of the two red heads that were left there burst out laughing.

"You think they meant that applied after the case is over too?" questioned Jenny.

"Jen!" Said her niece making a disgusted face. She then grabbed the sharpie pen from behind the bar and walked over to the bar where punters could write their messages. And with it she wrote her own:

_RIP John, we all make mistakes xx_

Because even if he had let her down in the end, at the beginning he had been a good lad. He'd worked hard and had honest dreams and ambitions. There was a part of Ali that felt responsible, because if it wasn't for her and the bar he may never had met the people who he ended up getting mixed up in, and he may have still been alive. But for now she put that though out of her mind as she looked out of the window in the door as the black sedan drove off into the daytime. She had not a doubt in her mind that both her and her aunt would be seeing Agents Gibbs and DiNozzo again in the very near future. Neither however knew the reason for which that would be, and it was a good job. Because if they did, then they may just decided that some things were more important – like their safety.

_Authors note 2- Please review_


	3. Storm inside of you

_Disclaimer – I don't own NCIS_

_Authors note – I want to thank you for your reviews. And apologise as I have not written Jibbs in a while so may be slightly rusty, enjoy xx_

_'The lightening strikes will make it hard to see through, but he will calm the storm inside of you' -Veronica Ballestrini_

_**Saturday, 10am**_

Tony DiNozzo and Jethro Gibbs walked back into in to NCIS headquarters feeling slightly happy with them. Ali and Jenny had made both of them smile. For Tony it was the fact that she was a realistic, accepted life but at the same time she was herself. Alison Shepard was a laugh, she made jokes and sarcastic comments – but most of all she made him feel happy, made him feel like he could be himself and not have to put on an act. She was beautiful, smart and cleaver, and yet for some reason she liked him.

For Jethro Gibbs Jenny was one of the first women he had met, and already he knew he wasn't trying to compare her to Shannon, trying to get her to be Shannon's replacement – she was someone who he like for who she was. Gorgeous, clever and putting her family first. She acted younger, and yet was more mature that her years at the same time too. And that was what had Jethro Gibbs feeling like a love drunk teenager as he made his way out of the silver steel doors into the bull pen which still was not thriving with business as he had expected it to be when they were functioning with maximum case load capacity.

Both Tony and Gibbs walked with a slight spring in their step. "Where the hell is McGee?" Questioned Gibbs – well he wasn't going to let on he was happy after all anyway. And so her sat down at his desk and looked over towards the empty desk.

"Erm . . ." Said DiNozzo walking over to the empty desk where a bright yellow florescent sticky note was stuck onto his screen. "According to his little sticky note message, Probie is down with Abby in her lab." Said Tony, just as he began to look around for some superglue to amuse himself. Yet he was stopped in his tracked as he received a head slap which shattered his mood.

"Do not even think about it!" Stated Gibbs as he walked past, smirking at just how predictable Tony DiNozzo was with his pranks. Tony Looked baffled at how his boss had even known he was thinking of something when he hadn't said anything. He was slowly coming around to Abby's idea that Gibbs was psychic. And so Tony ran after his boss, squeezing between the quickly closing doors of the lift as it went down. Smiling broadly at his boss as he did so. The ride down was in silence as it always was with Gibbs. He didn't do small talk, he spoke when he needed to do so, not when it was not necessary.

As they walked into Abby's lab she was working hard at her computer screen with McGee next to her. Both of their fingers were typing furiously on the keyboard. Gibbs walked over to where he knew he music was plugged in and turned down the volume. He had previously just pulled the plug until Abby had had a go at him for losing half of the things she had had on her IPod and so she had decided it was about time he learnt at least how to lower the volume of her IPod down if he was still refusing to become technology friendly. "What you got Abs." He questioned as he poked his head ove her shoulder.

"Well oh great one, we have a lot for you!" She said with a smile before sliding her wheelie chair over the printer where she grabbed piece of paper before wheeling back over again.

"You gonna make me guess Abby?"

"No. Okay so, I got thing new toy off of the director and it takes a 3D picture of the would by using lasers to measure the distance and then you can see-"

"Abs, to the point."

"Right so basically it can show you the shape of the weapon used, I go that, ran it though the data base and it came back with a military knife given out in 1990 to soldiers who had shows outstanding bravery in Kuwait. It was a custom made one, each on engraved with a name and military ID. Now only 6 of these were ever issued. One of those to our silver fox." She said passing Gibbs a smile which he shrugged off along with the looks he received from the other two agents who were staring at him. He knew she'd find out but didn't want anyone else o know – the less the better in his eyes. After all he didn't like showing off. "But you knew that Gibbs . . . so we ran down the other names. We have five, four of whom we figure we can ignore. However the fifth, Gunnery Sergeant David Goldsman died four years ago, in his will he left his knife to his son: Dane Goldsman. Turns out the apples does fall far from the tree. He's been arrested twice on account of dealing, bailed out each time by his father. He's been under the radar for a year. Got an address but the landlord claims he hasn't seen him in a year. Rent is paid by a check under the door. Phone records show he only makes and minimal calls, and always pays by cash."

"Right, DiNozzo McGee check out the flat." And with that his two younger agents busied themselves and ran off. He turned to Abby and softly kissed her forehead "Good work Abs." And with that he left.

_**Saturday, 6:45pm**_

They'd put bolo's out on the Dane Goldsman so he could not leave the country. They'd put a bolo out on his car, and in addition to that they'd flashed his picture around all over the place. But so far they had nothing and as the day had gone on Marrow had decided to tell Gibbs and his team to go home. And so he had done so. Except somehow they'd all ended up at DC's Duke Bar. Now Gibbs stood at the bar watching as Jenny got the drinks for other customers. The bar was quiet for the moment, but he knew that it would get busier as the night went on. Tony was currently playing cards over with McGee and Abby and Gibbs got the drink. "Why hello there stranger." Said Jenny. Her tight white lose over a pair of dark washed jeans with a wooden necklace and bracelets. She smiled, and It made Gibbs want to the case to be over so they could start seeing each other properly.

"Hey." He smiled. She got the order, remembering it from the other night, minus the Scotch as Ducky was looking after his mother. She then placed the order in front of his and he held her hand as she took the money. "We have a suspect; we've got bolo's out."

"Thank you." She said smiling. And so she leant across the bar and kissed his cheek gently. "Ali is on a break outside, go tell her." She said with a smile. "The maybe you can come out with me when I'm on my break. He smiled, loving the way his life was going as he went through the back and outside the back where he saw Ali stood.

The sky was dark and the breeze cold. The stars twinkled high above and the moon was full. He looked ver and saw her leaning against the wall. One leg on the cold bricks. She wore a white shirt as they all did, it was long and baggy, with grey wool leggings, a thick black belt and a pair of black leather converse shoes. Her hair was down and loose, natural waves apart from a few layers taken back. "You just gonna stand there?" She questioned. He noticed the orange of a cigarette as she smoked, breathing out the smoke.

"Those things will kill you." He said as he walked over next to her.

"So could a bullet and yet you carry a gun." She replied. Ali turned to him and looked at the way he seemed happier in a way than he usually did.

"Does your aunt know?" He questioned, still in the same soft tone as he spoke about the cigarettes.

"Yeah, but considering I'm a boarding school girl who owns a bar there are much worse things that I could be could be doing." She said with a small smile.

"Hmph, thought you'd want to know that we've got a suspect – got a bolo out."

"Good." She said breathing out another wad of smoke before stubbing out the lit cigarette. "Make sure you kill the son of a bitch when you get the chance won't you."

And with that she walked off. He smiled as she walked away. In so many ways she reminded him of himself when he was younger. She was bold and fearless, and every word she said was full of meaning. He looked up at the stars for what felt like hours. He wondered if Kelly was still alive she'd be like Ali. He hoped that she would be, because he hoped that she would have been successful, then again that wasn't right. He knew she would have been, whatever it was she would have done she would have been amazing. "Hey." He heard a soft voice say. As he turned around he smiled, there was Jenny, two coffees in hand. She held one out to him.

"Thanks." He said smiling as he took it.

"Sorry it's not bourbon, I like a clear head when I'm working." She said.

"Not a problem Jen." He replied smiling. As he did she felt her stomach do acrobats. She hadn't felt this way about a man in a very long time. His eyes piercing blue, hair silver and attitude sharp yet soft to certain people.

"Thank you." She said looking down. "For staying out, it's cold; I didn't think you would to be fair. But thanks also for everything you are doing on the case."

"It's my job."

"Do you do this with all of your people of interest?"

"nah." He said with a smile as they both realised how close they were. His breath was warm against her cold neck. She was smaller than him, even in here skyscraper heals. She was slim, but not too skinny. Her lips were full; her eyes wide and lashes thick. She was beautiful, more so up close. And slowly they moved in. He bent down, lips softly ghosting over hers at first – giving her the chance to pull away. But she didn't, instead she stood up on her tiptoes and pressed her lips firmly onto his, kissing him passionately. When they broke sue to lack of air both wore massive smiles.

"Wow." She said with a flushed face.

"Yeah." He replied before kissing her once more.


	4. You and me

_Disclaimer – I do not own NCIS_

_Authors note – I hope that you all enjoy this. Sorry though for the delay._

'_I can't keep my eyes off you, Something about you now, That I can't quite figure out, Everything she does is beautiful, Everything she does is right.' – You and Me, by lighthouse._

_Please review _

**-A Life Behind Bars-**

_**Sunday, 12pm**_

Gibbs spent the rest of that night with the team, going back to the bar frequently though. He felt so much happier than he had in a long time. And when the time came for him to leave Jenny walked him out the back and kissed him goodbye. He promised her he'd be there the next day at half twelve to take her out for lunch. That made her smile, because it was a long time since a man had been as kind as Gibbs was. The way he hadn't forced her into the kiss, the way he acted as though he was always thinking about her feelings. That was one of the main things that attracted her to him, aside from his extremely attractive features and body.

Tony also left with a promise that he would drop by the following day at around 2pm to arrange going out for dinner with Ali. They'd been texting each other since he'd given her his number, and for once he was attracted to a woman for more than just her features and body. She made him laugh, she was smart and of course attractive too.

And so, even when their case had less than a desirable about of activity on it, when Gibbs was seriously feeling the result of caffeine deficiency and so in a worse mood then he usually was on a Sunday, there was still an air of calmness. Gibbs walked with a lighter step whilst Tony however was a little less discrete as he walked around with a smile on his face that told the whole world what he was feeling as it stretched from one ear across to the other.

When mid day came around and their case was still going nowhere fast. Gibbs left the bullpen without another word to anyone. Abby however knew exactly where he was going after he had hacked into her silver foxes phone records and text messages to see just what had put a spring in his step and make him bring her down a caf-pow before she even had any results to give to him. And so Gibbs made his way to the bar. He walked for once, through the cool air that hit his skin; he held a coffee for himself in one hand and another for Jenny in his other. Even as he walked through the Navy Yard which was grey and dark at this time of year things seemed lighter.

Jethro arrived outside o the Bar and smiled as he got there at the same time as Jenny walked out of the door. He walked over and she waited for him smiling. She had on an emerald green dress that hit just above her knees with a pair of black tights, boots and a black bomber Jacket. Her hair was down and loose in natural curls. Gibbs smiled at her – she looked stunning. "You look amazing." He said honestly, his eyes sparking with a happiness that matched hers.

"Well, I don't get out that often. And you don't look so bad yourself." She said with a smile. He then handed her a cup of coffee which she took with a slightly amused smile playing on her lips. She then leant up and kissed him, to which he responded by placing his free arm around her waist and pulling her in tight. Then they parted both had slightly pink flushed faces and large smiles plastered across their faces. Smiles that would compete with the one on Tonys face all day. "Thank you." Jenny said, he softly pecked her lips.

"You mind if we walk?" He questioned.

"I'd love to walk." She replied before the stepped into sync next to each other, his arm resting around her waist. Neither of them spoke, there was something about each other that made neither of them feel the need to speak. They sipped their coffee as they went. "Jethro, how did you know what coffee I drank?" She questioned looking up. Even though she was wearing heels he was still much taller than her.

"Lucky guess." He stated. But she saw the smirk on his lips and new it was but. He'd most likely bribed Ali into telling him.

"Where are we heading?" She questioned as they entered a small side street that she didn't recognise.

"For lunch." HE replied, Jenny just laughed and decided to trust him as he led her away. They approached a small terrace house and he led her inside. It was small but light. The outside was nothing special, but well kept with just a small sign above saying: _Terrace Place Café _on it in swirly back writing.

Inside Gibbs nodded at the waitress and they made their way up the stairs. He then led her to a tan brown leather couch which faced the window and had a small coffee table in front of it. "I've never noticed this place before." She said looking around curiously.

"The owner's husband is a marine, he was kidnapped a few years ago, I saved him. Been coming here since very now and again – they do good coffee." Jenny laughed and smiled at him.

"Do you think of anything but coffee?"

"I think of you." He replied and she smiled, leaning across the small distance between them to kiss him softly. A woman then made her way over. She was slightly older than Jenny, had dark brown hair died at the roots which were tied up in a bun behind her, she wore a black blouse and skirt with a white half apron. She smiled a warm smile.

"Hello Jethro, it's good to see you're not alone for once." Gibbs just laughed.

"Marie this is Jenny, Jenny this is Marie." He stated as the two women said their greetings politely. Jenny had quickly grabbed a menu, forgetting they were here for lunch for a moment.

"What can I get you guys then?" she questioned. Gibbs looked to Jenny who smiled.

"Can I have a cheese and ham baguette please?" she asked.

"Of cause, would you like it cold or toasted?"

"Toasted."

"Okay and Jethro?"

"My usual."

"Okay, so one cheese and ham –toasted, and one sausage –toasted with onions. What can I get you to drink?"

Jenny and Gibbs looked at each other with a smirk. "Two of my coffee's please." The woman – Marie – smiled and walked away. Jenny moved over closer to Jethro and he pulled her in. They were acting as though they had known each other for years when it had only been days. There was something comfortable about the way they were with one another.

"How did you end up at NCIS?" Jenny questioned softly. Gibbs looked down at her, usually he avoided that question, but there was something comforting about Jenny.

"My first wife and daughter: Kelly was killed whilst I was deployed. NCIS handled the investigation, when I left it was the right thing to do." She looked up at him.

"I'm sorry." She said.

"Don't be." He replied. "Why the PD?"

"My father was in the army. He . . . he was suspected of taking a bribe and supposedly killed himself. I always believed he was murdered. I decided to find his killer, but when I was in high school one of my friends was murdered. I realised I could do more good helping the living than avenging the dead." She said. HE kissed her forehead. They'd both learnt about demons, both learnt there were things lurking beneath the surface yet somehow neither one of them really minded, because after all things never were straight forward in life.

They ate their sandwiches in silence, only the occasional question. Once they had finished both decided to take a walk. So, they left the warmth of the small café and made their way out. They walked close together, both warm and full. They walked through small streets with smiles on their faces, and slowly made their way back to the bar. As they walked Jethro's hand wound its way around Jenny's waist. He pulled her close and both smiled.

**-A Life Behind Bars-**

Ali was stood at the bar wiping down the wooden surface. Her long red hair was down and straightened harshly. She had black eyeliner ringing her eyes and tailing off in flicks symmetrically at the corners. Her lips were coated in a pale pink colour – 'moonshine' – which was gentle and suited her. She wore a pair of bleached denim shorts with black patterned tights underneath, on her top she wore a black vest top with the words 'I'll sleep when I'm dead' printed across in a bright red – now faded – type face. On her feet was a pair of black heeled ankle boots. She worked away humming along to the soft country music played gently in the background. Hearing the door open she turned to see an unfamiliar figure standing there. She straightened up and whilst tightening one of the bracelets on her wrist she stated: "We don't open until four on a Sunday love, come back later." And with a warm smile she returned to her work. Only he didn't move. Assuming he had not heard her she turned to him once more. "We're not open until four pm. Come back then."

"I know." He replied his gruff sharp and yet gravely with a cocky tone to it.

"Then would you mind paying attention, only I don't like wasting me breath love." She replied.

"Where is it?" HE questioned, walking forward towards where she stood.

"Sorry darlin', I really don't know what you're talkin' about." She replied, feeling slightly venerable as he walked forward.

"The gear. That two timer john never paid me, now it can only be here."

"John? He's dead, and I really have not a clue what 'gear' you're talking about."

"The coke you dumb slag!" He stated angrily before pulling out a knife and pulling out a knife and pointing it at her. "Where. Is .It?"

"I do not know! Anything in his locker was taken by the feds!"

"Like some trumped up little bar maid would give away a four grand's worth of coke!" He stated, his voice growing In anger as he continued moving forward until he was on the same side of the bar as she was. "Now I'll ask you one more time. Where is MY coke?"

As Jenny and Gibbs walked through the door the bar they were laughing at some slightly work related story. Their eyes were sparkling and both felt much happier than they had in a very long time. Yet as they walked into the bar both were now familiar with, what they had expected to see, and what was in front of their eyes were two worlds apart. They saw a tall man dressed in dark clothes. He was muscular and holding a knife to Ali. In that moment Gibbs slipped into his agent mode, ready to defend him. Also beside him Jenny slipped back into her cop mode. Even when you haven't actively been serving for years, there is still that shell there ready to slip into her level headed self.

Hearing voices, Ali's eyes snapped over to see her aunt and Gibbs stood there. Him with his hand on his gun, and ready to take action mode. But his eyes did too. Seeing them both he moved behind her, gabbing Ali by the neck momentarily causing her to hold her breath because of shock and fear. He pulled her and before she knew it there was the cold sharp tip on a knife presses to her neck, just hard enough to pierce the skin and cause a warm drop of blood to fall down her skin.

"Don't even think of moving or I'll slit her neck!" he said, anger causing adrenalin to fill his limb and make his hand shake. "Give me my coke and no one gets hurt!" He shouted.

Gibbs was studying his features, and noticed the exact type of knife it was he had held to Ali's neck. It was a knife that he himself owned, and that was when he began to join to dots together - who he was. "Okay, okay, calm down. Dane, Dane Goldsman. David's daughter right?"

"What is it to you? Just get me my god damn coke!"

"I knew him Dane, he was a good man."

"Shut up about my father!" He shouted as he made another mark on Ali's neck.

"Dane? You're father was a marine right? Kuwait I'm guessing from the knife. You must be proud." Said Jenny making her way forward. "What's happened Dane? Why don't you put the knife down and we sort this all out?"

"Shut up! This is too late to sort out."

"I wouldn't bet on it." She said slowly moving forward.

"Stay back!" He shouted once more. She stopped moving.

"Okay, okay I'll stay here. So, the way I see it is that it either ends the bad way where one of us dies, or you put the knife down and we all stay safe."

"It's too late you stupid cow!"

"It's never too late. Come on, put it down." By now Jenny was moving forward once more and Gibbs had his gun aimed. The young man was looking between Jenny who was talking softly and Gibbs who was glaring daggers into him was a gun pointed. His hand trembled and his other was tight around Ali's neck. She watched praying to god her aunt and Gibbs would manage to sort this out.

At that moment the door burst open and in bounced a certain Anthony DiNozzo. His smile reached from ear to ear and in his hand he held a paper bag. "Hey Ali I brought donuts!" He said smiling. Then he attuned to his surrounding and his eyes fell on the scene in front of him. There she was, the woman he could feel himself slowly falling for with a knife at her neck. The donuts were long forgotten about as he dropped them on the floor and walked forward drawing his gun and fighting the urge to blow the piece of scum's head off. "Drop in now!" He instructed.

Now with two guns aimed at him Dane did the only thing he could think too. He tightened his hold and walked backwards towards the door before dropping Ali and the knife then running. He ran fast and it took a few seconds for them all to react. Armed Tony and Gibbs went after Dane whilst Jenny ran over to her niece. Ali was sat leaning against the inside of the bar, eyes closed and breathing slowly whilst Jenny wiped away the blood. They'd called an ambulance and when they can they gave her a few precautionary injections to prevent disease then left.

Gibbs had called McGee who had handcuffed their man and taken him back to the Navy Yard. Now Gibbs sat inside with Jenny who was calming down. "You were good." He said in a soft tone he only used with those who truly mattered to him.

"Sometimes it's like just another part of you that comes out." She said looking up at him. He leant down and kissed her forehead.

Outside, much to her aunt's displeasure, Ali stood against the wall with a cigarette in her hand. He head rested against the cold brick wall. Tony walked over and stood by her. He looked down at the glowing cigarette in her hand and smirked. It didn't bother him that she smoked; he knew it was just another part of her he was yet to learn about. "After all this and you have one of them." She looked up at him and smiled a warm smile. It made her happy that instead of moaning at her for smoking he just accepted it. He pulled her into him and stubbed the burning ember out with her shoe. HE hugged her as she fought not to cry. Once she had taken numerous deep breath tony looked at her and brushed a piece of hair away from her face. He looked in her eyes and supped her face as he leant down and softly kissed her. It was a different kiss to most Tony experienced, instead of being filled with pure lust I was soft and gentle, filled with care. And when they parted she rested her head on his shoulder and smiled.

Twenty minutes later they returned into the bar. They sat along with Gibbs and Jenny, Ali and Tony holding hands the whole time. Gibbs looked at the younger girl and smiled. "You okay?" He questioned.

"Yeah, bit shook up, but other than that I'm okay."

"Good." He answered with a small smile. "Tony, take the rest of the day to look after her. He's in custody now you're safe."

"Good." She replied. "Look, erm, I may as well tell you Gibbs and Tony, I'm off down to California for a few weeks. I'm opening a new bar down near camp Pendleton, Diego's Duchess, so yeah. Thought I should you know, maybe say something"

Gibbs smiled and nodded, Jenny passed her a warm smile that said just how proud she was, and Tony hugged her. "Okay, I've gotta go." Said Gibbs and Jenny walked him out. When they got outside Jenny looked up at him and softly kissed him.

"Thank you." She said. "You got him."

"I said I would, I'm just sorry that Ali got hurt in the process."

Jenny kissed him softly, and that was all he needed to say. "Dinner, tomorrow night?" He questioned.

"Yeah, yeah I'd love that, I think Ali owes me some times off." She said before kissing him softly.

"I'll pick you up at yours at seven."

"Sounds perfect." And with that she watched as he walked off. His strong shoulders and Marine posture. The way he walked so strong and looked as good even just as a silhouette. Jenny smiled, she'd only known him a few nights and yet they fitted together so well, like two pieces of the same puzzle. Jenny sighed, looked up at the blue sky. "Please." She whispered. "Please just let this work lord." And with that she made her way inside of the bar ready to get to work.


	5. Millionaires

_Disclaimer – I don't own NCIS_

_Authors note – I hope that you all enjoy this. I'm trying to make these chapters longer than I usually do. I hope that this is okay, it's packed full of Jibbs! So, thanks for all of your support, I love this story!_

_"They're kicking us out saying it's time to close, We're leaning on each other trying to beat the cold, I carry your shoes and i give you my coat" -The Script, Millionaires _

* * *

_**Monday, 9am**_

Gibbs for once had acted like a human; he'd allowed Tony and Tim to come into work at a slightly later hour. However, tony was not taking it at face value as he believed his boss was in a good mood because of a certain red had who had been slightly attached to their case. So, Tony had of course not shut up about the fact for the last half hour. Tim was as usual attempting to ignore his partner who was heading full pelt for a very hard head slap, therefore McGee had decided he liked to be head ache free and so was ignoring his partner and beginning to type up his case report whilst talking to Abby by IM. Tony on the other hand was wittering on about Gibbs and Jenny, and occasionally Ali too. In fact he was on the way to having no job as Gibbs walked past the younger agent's desk, head slapping him on his way for what was the hundredth time. "Shutting up boss-man." The Italian stated with a signature smirk. Gibbs then stood looking at the case report with his steaming coffee in hand. Periodically he sipped the burning liquid, relishing at the taste of the scalding liquid sliding down his throat. Picking up the file he walked out.

"Going to interview the piece of scum." And before he realised it he had two agents shadowing him as he walked to the interrogation room. Last night he had decided to let Dane stew in a holding cell overnight, now it was time to interview him and Gibbs was thankful he had not Lawyer-ed up. So, as Gibbs opened the door into the small grey room with the mirrored glass on one wall and a cold metal table in the middle. Behind of it sat their man. Wearing an orange jumpsuit that he'd been issued after his normal clothes had been taken as evidence down to Abby. He had scratches on his face and whilst his hair was stood up in all directions. Under his eyes were dark grey circles and he looked as if he had spent the whole night drinking tequila shots. In the observation room Tim and Tony stood watching ad Gibbs walked around the table like an eagle circling its prey before seating himself opposite.

"You've been arrested for Murder, drug dealing and attempted murder." Gibbs said in a cool gruff manner. "What I need to know is why you did it?"

The man looked up, like he had been awoken for a deep sleep. He simply raised an eyebrow with a look on his face. "Why I did what?" He asks innocently.

"Why did you kill John?"

"John . . ." He mimicked pretending to rack his brains. "John…"

"Yeah the man who you stabbed."

"Oh . . . That little cocky student who stole four grand of gear. I remember him." He stated with a small smirk on his face.

"Yeah, you should." Said Gibbs walking around. "We have your knife." He whispered in his ear. "Your prints, you hair, your clothes, your DNA." He them moved to the other ear. "In fact, I have enough evidence to send you down for life."

"So do so." He stated.

In the observation room, Tony and Tim both stood ther watching as their former marine boss slowly broke the murderer sat in front of them. However, Tony was once more off the subject whilst McGee tried desperately to ignore him. "Come on McGee! You know that I'm right! Since Gibbs met Jenny he's been nice! I mean not nice in terms of anyone else nice, but Gibbs nice!"

"Tony, I really don't want to get in trouble with Gibbs again." He said sighing.

"Come on Mc-Spoilsport!"

"Tony will you pack it in with the Mc jokes already?!"

Their attention was drawn to the interrogation room once again as there was a massive slam as Gibbs' hand slammed onto the desk. "Why did you kill him?!" shouted Gibbs

The younger man just sat there smirking. "No. Comment." He stated. And with that Gibbs picked up the light brown file off of the desk and walked out of the room slamming the door behind of him. He turned to the door of the observation room just as Tony and McGee and out. He glared at them before walking off, shouting behind him: "Book him."

Tony and McGee looked at each other before entering the interrogation room and taking the man down to the cells once more before he was to be transferred to the state prison. After that, Gibbs made his way down to Ducky. As he stood in the lift waiting to go down to the basement he began to think about the evening. It was tonight that he was taking Jenny out to dinner and if he was honest he was seriously excited. For the first time he let the smile grace his lips as he thought about the chance to spend the night with him. Ali was going to California mid-week and so Jenny would be working in the bar full time which would mean he would not get to see her very often. Yet as the cold steal doors opened to the stark floor of autopsy he slid on his mask once more and stepped out. He walked through the swishing doors and walked into the cold area. Ducky was sat at his desk re-writing an autopsy report.

"Ah Jethro, what can I do for you?" He questioned turning away from the paperwork.

"We've got him."

"That is good news. Why are you down here?" questioned Ducky knowing that usually the former marine would just ring instead of coming down.

"Getting away from DiNozzo."

"Ah, I believe he is even more excitable since has a new love interest."

"Yeah, Ali."

"Ah. And if the scuttlebutt is to be believed then you also have a woman."

"Ah, Duck, since when did you gossip?"

"I may be old but I am still human Jethro."

"Yes, I am seeing Jenny, she's Ali's aunt."

"Well my boy, I'll look forward to meeting her." Said Ducky with a warm smile. It had been a long time since he had seen his friend smile so easily, in fact ducky would not be wrong if he said he thought that the younger man looked as though he were in love, because he was pretty sure by the glint in the silver fox's blue eyes that he was.

"I'm sure you will do soon Duck, I'm sure you will."

And wit that Gibbs left autopsy and went back up to the bull pen to be the zoo keeper. For the rest of the day Gibbs was just sat there watching his agents, drinking coffee and trying to keep a margin of control over his workers.

**-A Life Behind Bars-**

Ali walked into the bar after checking the barrels down in the basement to see her Aunt still sat at the bar. The place was quiet, it was empty and silent but it was perfect too. Because even though she loved the bar full of people and the way that the adrenalin ran through the wood, she also loved the bar in the day when it was silent. She loved to read the messages on the wall, loved to sit and play her guitar and listen to the acoustics. Now she stood watching her aunt. It was half four on a Monday and although they were open she knew she had an hour before there would be anyone in. Yet she stood there in her black and white striped jeans, a white blouse and a thin black scarf with skulls on it to cover the marks on her neck. She'd left her hair down, and straightened it so that it looked longer. Her mother had not changed yet, but Ali had curled her hair. "You should have gone by now." Said Ali as she wiped down the bar for the hundredth time.

Jenny looked up and smiled, knowing that her niece would just keep moaning she stood up and grabbed her jacket. "Fine I'll go!" She said. Jenny then kissed Ali's check and began t go.

"Have fun and don't do anything that I wouldn't do!" Shouted Ai with a small laugh. With that Jenny left the bar and went home. Ali looked at the silent bar and sat down on a bar stood as she began to read the trashy celebrity magazine her aunt had been flicking through only moments ago.

Jenny went straight to her old Georgetown house that had belonged to her father. She walked in and relished the warmth of the heating. As she hung up her Jacket she checked the main her housekeeper had piled up on the solid oak cabinet. It was simply a stack o junk mail which she tossed in the bin before making her way into the office where she grabbed a tumbler of bourbon and made her way up the stairs to get ready. Jethro was not due until seven yet Jenny did not know what to wear.

She walked into her walk in wardrobe and looked at the line of dresses that sat there. Casually she sipped her drink and began to flick through the dresses that sat in her wardrobe. Jenny picked out the odd dress, a purple one, a green, two black and a red. Jenny looked at her options. Deciding that she did not want to stand out too much Jenny put back the red and purple dresses. Then she put back another black one which was shorter. Looking between the black and the green she decided that she would wear the black dress. So Jenny put it on and looked in the mirror. The dress had an empire line waist and went out naturally. It went slightly lower at the back than it did at the front, yet on the top of the shoulders there were small gems that went in stands two inches off of her shoulders. The dress fell to just above her knees and so hit the three circular scars that were on her thighs. Jenny smiled at her reflection and then went to get a small silver clip and pushed the curls that Ali had put in to one side so that they tumbled over her shoulder. Jenny smiled at her reflection and then went about applying mascara and then Smokey eye shadow. Jenny added a touch of blusher before going to her jewellery box. She sat down at the dressing table and picked through the mass of silver chains which were all tangled together. In the end she chose a small silver Eiffel Tower necklace. Around her wrists she wore a charm bracelet her father had bought her when she was born. Jenny smiled at her reflection before going over to the wardrobe and picking out a pair of black suede stilettos which had a silver strap around her ankle. She'd already put tights on because of the cold weather. Looking in the mirror Jenny smiled once more. She'd not thought that she'd ever be feeling like this, feeling as though she had been given a second chance a love. In her past she'd been so focussed on her job that in reality she had never actually thought she'd be anything else. Now though, in reality she had everything that she could ever want. She had a niece whom she thought of as a daughter, someone who made her laugh and smile. Yet she also had Jethro, a man who took her for whom she was, and liked her even though she had so battle scars – both physically and mentally.

Jenny went into the draw next to her and pulled out a plain black satin clutch bag. Walking into her room she placed in it her purse, and lip gloss. She then checked her phone which was clear of any messages and put it in her bag. She sighed. There was a time when her Monday nights were spent in an office, running around the dark streets of cities, catching bad guys. There was a part of her that missed it. Missed the feeling of putting your life on the line for others every day. A part of her that wondered what life would be like if she had waited two weeks later to take her fitness exam, waited until the wounds were properly healed. But she hadn't, she'd thought that she was invincible,

Jenny was broken out of her thoughts by the sound of the doorbell ringing. She double checked her reflection before taking her clutch and making her way down the solid wood chairs. Her heels clip-clopping as she went. Taking a deep breath Jenny answered the door, a bright smile erasing all the self regret that she had been feeling earlier. Jethro stood there in the moonlight, his silver hair, eyes sparkling. He had on a pair of black suit trousers and jacket over an open neck white shirt. Jenny smiled at him. "You ready?" He questioned with a smile.

"Yeah." Jenny asked, still dazed with how he looked. "Just let me grab my jacket." Said Jenny before going inside and grabbing a fitted purple suede jacket that fell mid-thigh. Still smiling Jenny returned to the door and locked the old heavy thing with her key. Jenny then turned to Jethro.

"You look incredible." He stated before pressing his lips to hers in a soft kiss. She responded and when they parted both were smiling.

"You don't look so bad yourself." She replied before they walked towards his car hand in hand. HE was the perfect chivalry gentleman. He opened the door for her and closed it afterwards, he even drove in a very un-Gibbs-like way. When they arrived at the restaurant Jenny smiled. It was a small restaurant set back from the road, set out on one floor with a man stood at the entrance, and inside it was candle lit. The tables were solid oak with leather chairs, spaced out generously. On the tables were crisp white cloths, shining white crockery. Jenny smiled at him and squeezed his hand as they walked inside. They were then shown to their table white was by the window. He held out her chair for her and she smiled.

"Thank you Jethro." She stated softly.

"You really do look stunning!" He said, the candlelight flickered onto her eyes. Her red hair looked brighter than ever.

"You don't have to flatter me." She said softly.

He smiled just as the waiter came over to take their order. "I'll have a bourbon and steak au proive please." Said Jenny.

"I'll have the same." Gibbs added. Jenny smirked at him.

"A man of great taste." She commented.

"I could say the same for you too." She replied.

"Do you ever miss it? The police?" He questioned looking at her.

"Yeah, yeah I do. I took my physical assessment two weeks early, I was too stubborn. I sometimes wonder if the choices I made had of been different, if . . . I don't know. Do though. Do you miss the Marines?"

"Partially, but I love NCIS." She smiled.

"I bet you looked damn good in uniform." She said laughing.

"I could say the same thing about you." They were both laughing when the waiter bought their food. They ate in a comfortable silence, neither feeling the need to speak and ruin the moment. The rest of the evening went perfectly. They had a few more drinks after their meal and then made their way home. Both were over the limit so they walked. Jenny wrapped in her coat and Jethro's hand around her waist.

"I love the city at night." Said Jenny sighing as she watched the cars go past before they made their way into the park.

"It's a lot more peaceful." said Jethro.

Jenny stopped them. "Jethro, I just want to say thank you, for tonight. It's been a long time since someone's made me feel as though I was the one who needed taking care of." He looked at her and placed a piece of hair behind her ear, cupping her face gently.

"You are an amazing woman Jenny. And I know you haven't had it easy, but I promise you, I'm going to take care of you." He smiled at her, kissing her softly before walking back to her house.

They finally arrived at the old brownstone and he looked at her as she did at him. "Goodnight Jenny." He said softly.

"Jethro, would you like to come in for a drink?" And he smiled, nodding; he knew that was her way of asking him to stay over for the night. He didn't need asking twice, it wasn't a promise of anything else, not a promise of anything too much. For that night, they were simply Jenny and Jethro.

* * *

_Please review Guys! xx_


	6. Because we can

_Disclaimer - I don't own NCIS_

_Authors note – I hope this is okay, once more a long chapter, love this one!_

"_I wanna be the one you run to when you need a shoulder, I ain't a soldier but I'm here to take a stand, because we can" – bon jovi, because we can _

_**Tuesday, 5:30am**_

As his eyes slowly opened and he awaked from what he thought must have been the most peaceful night's sleep he had had since the 90's, what confused him initially was the fact he was in bed instead of on his basements' cold concrete floor. Except it wasn't his bed, and there was a warm body in his arms. Then he remembered, finally the sleepy haze cleared and he remembered last night. Opening his eyes he turned over to see her. In the dawn muted light he could see the outline of her features as she slept. Saw the way her long red hair fanned out from her face after she'd pushed the locks away. Her eyes were gently closed with a smudge of last night's makeup underneath. Her lips were pouted and she looked at peace. Her arms were draped across his abdomen and his arm was underneath her. The covers reached to just below her shoulders, leaving him to be able to see the creamy white smooth skin of her shoulders.

A small smile spread across his face as he saw her. It was the first time he had been with someone and not had Shannon on his mind the whole time. He like Jenny for being Jenny, for being the strong woman she was. And that made him happier than any of his ex-wives ever had. He smiled as he saw her eyes begin to flutter open. Watched the confusion spread across them before realisation overtook. Once it did a mile formed on her lips too. There she laid, her grip tightening on him. "What times is it?" She questioned, burying her face in the crook of his neck as she tried to block out the light.

"Half five." HE stated after passing a glance at the illuminated red lights of her clock.

"Erg!" Groaned Jenny. He just smirked and kissed her head. He started at her temple and kissed the rest of her face. Her giggles filled his ears, like a little girls as she rolled on her back. He finally kissed her lips. Once they broke from the stifling kiss she rested her head on his shoulder. "I could get used to this." She said with a smile.

"So could I." HE replied as he rested his head on the pillow. They both knew what was coming, it was a Tuesday and he had work, but neither one of them wanted either them self or the other to leave the warmth of the bed. But soon the time came and looked down, she'd nearly fallen apart, and it broke his heart to have to go. "Jen." He said, and that was all she needed. She kissed his cheek before rolling to the side as he stood up to retrieve his clothes. She grabbed a dressing gown from the chair near her bed and walked him out. When he reached the door he looked at her and softly placed his lips onto hers.

"You in the bar tonight?" She questioned.

"No, will be Friday though. When does Ali leave?"

"Saturday morning, first thing."

"We'll be in Friday night." Said Jethro with a smile. "I don't sleep much, if you want to come round my place then the front doors always open, I'll be in basement." He said before softly kissing her.

"I don't finish 'til gone two."

"I know."

"What? And you'll be awake?" Jenny questioned bemused.

"Yeah." H replied with a smirk. "Told ya, I don't sleep." Jenny just laughed and kissed him one final time before watching him leave. He walked back to last night's restaurant and then drove home to change.

When Jethro had left Jenny leant back against the old wooden door with a small smile playing on her lips. This was the first time in a long time that she had woken up with a smile on her face. Looking at the clock on the side board she decided she could return to bed for a few hours before she needed to get up. So, barefooted she made her way up the cold wooden stairs swiftly, trying not to let her feet linger on the cold steps too long.

As she entered her room she grabbed an old police t-shirt, before slipping back under the now cool sheets. Jenny buried her head in the pillow he had been sleeping on and inhaled the smell of bourbon and aftershave. Slowly Jenny felt her eyes grow heavy as she slipped back into the world of slumber. A few hours later she was woken by the sound of her phone ringing. Like a groggy teenager she buried her head back in the pillow, attempting o black out the sound – yet failing. So, groaning she rolled over and found the incriminating device. Blindly pressing the green answer button she placed it to her ear. "Yeah?" She answered.

"So . . . how was it?" Questioned an excitable voice. Jenny smirked; her niece was always more excited about Jenny's love life than she was her own.

"Well, how about I say one thing and let you make your own assumptions from that?" Said Jenny, half laughing as she spoke.

"Go on then!" Stated Ali, anxious to find out what had happened the previous night.

"Well, he only left here . . ." Jenny paused as she looked at her clock. "Three hours ago because he had work."

"Omg! Aunt Jenny! Are you serious?"

"Well I'm sure you could ask him only I doubt that he'd tell you."

"So what went on?" Hinted Ali.

"I don't kiss and tell Al."

"Hmm…we'll see. Anyway, you mind being in by eleven or are you too drained from last night." Laughed the younger woman. Jenny rolled her eyes.

"I'm sure I can manage young lady! Why?"

"Tony is taking me out for lunch. After all I want to see him as much as I can before I go to Diego."

"Aww, young love!"

"Shut up Jenny! I'll see you later."

"Oh how the tables have turned misses." Stated Jenny before hanging up. She then turned over and sighed, it was half eight, she guessed she'd have time to shower and change before walking to the bar and stopping off for coffee on her way.

**-A Life Behind Bars-**

Leroy Jethro Gibbs sat at his desk, coffee in hand when Tony DiNozzo walked in late. He sent the younger agent his signature glare. "Sorry boss, I was talking to Ali." Stated the younger agent as if it were some massive valid excuse. However Gibbs was not amused, and continued to glare. "Won't happen again." And with that Gibbs nodded in agreement. "We got a case?" Questioned Tony as he tried to fix his hair which had a mind of it's own as it stuck up in all directions thinkable.

"No." Commented McGee from under his desk.

"What are you doing Mc-Probie?" Tim rolled his eyes before banging his head and cursing.

"I'm trying to speed up all of our computers Tony!"

"Ooh! You want any help?" Questioned Tony as he crouched down and began to pick up some of the cables with a curious expression on his face.

"Don't touch that!" Stated McGee as if it were the Queens jewels. "If I wanted help then Abby would be up here. Now just leave me alone and do not turn on your computer or you will crash the whole system!" Ordered McGee.

"Okay Mc-Touchey!"

Gibbs got up, bored with the two agents antics and walked past - smacking Tony on the back of the head as he did so. "Leave him alone DiNozzo."

"Yes boss." And with that they watched as he stepped on the lift before Tony began to gossip. "Is it me or does he seem . . . more tame today? Or as tame as Gibbs can be."

"I'm not getting involved Tony, we both know how this usually ends up!"

"Oh come on Probie! He didn't even head slap me for being late!"

This made Tim stop as think for a moment, and whilst he was beginning to agree with Tony, his gut told him he should not be talking about it because he knew batter. "Okay, maybe you have a point but it is none of our business."

"Maybe him and Miss Jenny got to know each other a little better last night?" Said Tony, wiggling his eyebrows."

"I'm not getting involved!"

"Oh come on probie, I mean she fits his criteria: leggy red head, and a drop dead georgeous one at that."

"Tony!"

"Come on Mc-Spoil-Sport, do I have to go to Abby?"

"Go to Abby! She won't get killed and I can get on with this!" Said McGee; who was getting seriously bored with the other agent. They were like brothers in so many different ways, but brother's fight, and get annoyed with each other too, and so there was no wonder that these two too fought like cat and dog. And yet when the time came they were too fiercely loyal.

Just under an hour later Leroy Jethro Gibbs stood in the bull pen not quite knowing what to do. Tony was down in Abby's lab after having gained the sense to keep out of his friend's way as he worked. Now he had been dragged into helping her do the stock take seeming as they still had no cases. However, the chore he thought it would be had not been so bad. He'd agreed on the condition that he chose the music. So now they were more concentrating on singing and dancing around to Frank Sinatra instead of focussing on the task that was at hand. Up in the bull pen McGee had finished under his desk, dealt with Tonys whilst pushing the feeling of wanting to be sick away. It seemed Tony didn't use his bin but dump everything under his desk instead. Now he had kicked Gibbs out and was under his desk. This now left their boss stood there, not quite knowing what to do. Deciding he had gone over a few hours without a decent cup of coffee he decided to go and get some from his favourite small place that did good coffee.

**-A Life Behind Bars-**

Jenny Shepard walked along one of the DC backstreets. She had on a white blouse, as she always did for work, which was fitted, had a starched collar and hidden buttons. It was three quarter sleeves and had a few buttons undone. Underneath she wore a Navy Blue spaghetti strap top which showed through the blouse. On her bottom half she wore a pair of dark washed, blue boot cut jeans. They fitted her perfectly. Her feat wore a pair of Navy blue patent leather stilettos. She kept the chill out by wearing a tan brown leather Jacket. Her long red hair was naturally wavy and down lose. She had red lipstick on her lips, and light makeup on the rest of her face.

Jenny walked into the small coffee shop and saw a head of very familiar silver hair. A small smile spread across her face and she walked forward. "Hello stranger." She whispered in his ear. She saw his muscles move as he smiled and turned around.

"hey." He replied smiling. "What you doing here?"

"Grabbing coffee on my way in. How about you?"

"Escaping mayhem." He replied and she smiled.

"Coincidences, eh?"

"I don't believe in them." He replied. "Let me buy you a cup." Jenny smiled and thanked him, knowing he was a typical Chauvinistic man that he wouldn't take no for an answer. Jenny moved outside and waited for him. When he emerged he handed her the cup which she took, thankfully relishing in the warmth that sept though the cup.

"Thank you." She stated, pecking his lips softly before he leant in for a deeper kiss. When they parted both wore smiles. "You fancy walking me to the Duke?"

"Love to." He stated before they began. His hand ghosting over the base of her back. They walked in a comfortable silence, neither of them wanting to waste the moment. They walked along the streets both knew so well before he dropped her off. She kissed him softly before entering the bar and he returned to the nay yard.

Jenny walked in smiling. "What are you looking so pleased with yourself about?" Ali Questioned from where she sat applying the last of her eyeliner.

"Nothing, it's just a beautiful day!" She stated.

"Uhuh?" Commented Ali, not believing her in the slightest.

"So come on, let's see you." Stated Jenny and Ali stood up. She wore a tight black skirt which came just below mid thigh with a baggy emerald green top which fell off one shoulder and was tucked in. She also wore a pair of opaque black tights with black wedge ankle boots. Her hair was like Jenny's in its natural waves only they were all pushed over one of her shoulders. Her makeup was light apart from her signature black eye liner.

"Very nice." Said Jenny, liking her nieces outfit.

"Right, I'd best go, I'm meeting him outside of NCIS Headquarters." Said Ali before grabbing her black leather jacket and going to meet Tony. She walked to the place and saw Tony rush out. She smirked a him before walking over. "Hey." She said with a smile on her face. She looked beautiful in his eyes, unique, and for once without a cigarette in her hand.

"Hey" He said before softly kissing her lisps t which she responded. "So, were do you fancy?" He questioned. He watched as she ever so slightly titled her head as she thought. It made him smile as he thought that she looked as cute as she did it.

"How about Sub Way?" she asked.

"You sure, we can go to a restaurant you know"

"I know, but I've been dying for a sub way lately."

And with thank he placed his arm around her waist and they went on their way. He pulled him closer and said: "You're my kind of girl you know that?"

"I know." She said with a smile on her face before kissing her softly.

And so they walked the familiar streets to the subway before ordering their chosen subs, and walking down the counter and they were filled. Five minutes later both of them left with their choices in hand. Ali had an Italian BMT with lettuce on cheese and herb bread, toasted and with cheese. Tony had a Meatball Marina, toasted with lettuce. Both had cola's and they made their way to a small park. Sitting on a bench both of them ate in relative silence. Ali burst out laughing and Tony looked at her in complete confusion. "What?" He questioned. She just laughed harder before regaining her composure.

"You have tomato on your nose." She said before leaning over and licking it off. HE laughed. They spent the rest of their lunch telling stories and alighting. Tony then walked Ali back to the bar and returned to work. Jethro smiled as his senior agent walked in. Everything seemed a little bit brighter today.

**-A Life Behind Bars-**

It was half one in the morning. Jethro was down in his basement working on his boat. The repetitiveness of sanding easing his mind. There was always something on his mind, but this helped. No matter what, it helped. He was in a world of his own when he heard the clipping of heals on the wooden floor. Stopping he turned around to see Jenny standing there. He was surprised as he hadn't expected her to come, yet there she was. He walked over to the bourbon. "Drink?" He questioned. She just shook her head, and he noticed she looked tired. "Bed?"

"Sleep." She confirmed with a knowing smirk. With what he made his way over and took her hand before leading her to his room for the night. He passed her one of his old t-shirts for her to wear whilst he changed. Then, as the rest of the city slept, he slipped under the covers, comforted by the knowingness that he was not alone.


	7. I'm yours

_Disclaimer – I don't own NCIS_

_Authors note – I hope that you all enjoy this. The song is 'I'm Yours' by Ron Pope. Thanks to all my reviewers! You're amazing! Every one of you. Sasha-038 : it's a typo I'm afraid. I always use the shift key instead of the caps lock key so I end up with two capitalised letters – sorry_

'_It's not the way your move your hips,__Though I can't help but stare' – I'm yours by Ron Pope_

_**Friday, 5:30pm**_

The rest of the week went relatively smoothly. The mass case boom had fallen once more, meaning the team only had one case. It was the murder of a marine, yet the wife's finger prints had been found on the knife, and she'd still been in her bloodied clothes when they found her. Gibbs had barely even needed to use his death glare before she crumbled in a mound of tears. A confession later and the team simply had paperwork to do. Aside from the usual arguments, nothing unusual had happened. Gibbs met up with Jenny for coffee everyday at the same time by total 'coincidence'. They would both be there, one with coffee waiting for the other. He'd walk her to the bar, and kiss her every day. Then, when he returned to work, at lunchtime Tony would leave. The older man never once asked why, because he knew. Tony went to meat Ali for lunch. He always returned on time though – surprisingly enough.

The week passed by, and before any of them realised it Friday had come around. It was much too soon for Tony though because it meant that Ali was off to San Diego tomorrow ready to start work on the new bar. However, that aside it also meant that they were all at the Duke tonight. That was why; for once Gibbs was letting his team go home at a decent time.

Looking up from his desk he saw Tony typing away on his computer – too fast for it to be work so Gibbs guessed that he was talking to Abby on some messenger site. McGee was also tapping away, so Gibbs guessed that he too was talking to Abby and Tony. He watched the two agents that he saw as children and felt a sense of pride. They were both irritating in their own ways, but both had strengths too. And both were more than individual in their characters. He smirked as he saw Tony glare at the scream, and McGee smirk. He guessed that Abby and Tim were talking tech talk. "Right, you can go home. Remember to be in the bar by 1900 though. It's Ali last night." He stated in his usual gruff tone.

This week Jenny and Ali had been training up a new barman, he was in his mid thirties and perfect for the job according to Jenny. He had experience too which meant that tonight Jenny and Ali could have a bit more fun and let their hair down knowing there would be someone on the bar at all times. It also meant that when Ali was away in the next few weeks, Jenny would not be struggling to cope on her own. Which meant Gibbs could see her as much as he had been doing recently.

"Thanks boss." Tony said; who was typing away furiously once more before he got up. He shut his computer down by force quitting it which when McGee saw made him wince. The other agent then grabbed his black rucksack, slung it haphazardly over one shoulder and strode out of the bullpen. Whilst McGee was shutting down his computer Abby made her way up. Then she stood by the empty desk, bouncing in her platform plastic black boots and wearing a cheesy smile. Gibbs smiled at her and smiled back.

"Hello my silver haired fox. Are you coming tonight?" She asked, expecting him to say that he was busy as he usually did. It was very rare that they actually got Gibbs to go out with them, and when they did he usually sat there glaring holes in someone's skull.

"Yeah, I am Abs." He stated with a signature smirk as an unbelievably bugger grin spread across the Goths face. She then proceeded to bounce even more, which defied all laws of gravity and balancing her boots.

"Yey!" She squealed. McGee then got up and grabbed his bag before walking over to Abby. The now extra hyperactive Goth looped her arm though McGee's before they began to walk out. "See you later boss man!" She shouted back as they entered the lift. Jethro couldn't help the grin that spread across Gibbs' face as he watched them both walk out.

Abby and McGee had always had the sort of relationship that was hard to determine. Sometimes they were like family, others they were best friends, but always like an old married couple. So, seeing them like that didn't much affect the older man. He was just pleased they both had someone, and as long as McGee did not hurt the woman he thought of as a daughter and was extremely protective over then he didn't object. Gibbs was sure though that McGee would not hurt Abby, because after all, with Gibbs aside McGee was the most protective person over her.

Jethro sighed; he opened one of his draws and took out a picture of Kelly. She was sat on the grass looking up at the camera. He was sat behind her with his chin resting on her shoulder. There was no denying that Gibbs was a different man back then. A part of him had been lost when they had died, the part of him that loved, that believed in humanity. It was only in meeting Jenny that he had been able to believe that there might be a chance of him regaining it.

His callused thumb traces the outline of her hair with a small reflective smile. "She was beautiful." Jenny stated, from blind him. Her chin rested on his shoulder, just as his did to Kelly in the photo he was looking at.

"She got that from her mother." He said. Unlike his other ex-wives Jenny didn't stiffen at the reference to Shannon, instead she wrapped her arms around him. Because Jenny liked Jethro for all of him, and Shannon and Kelly were just as much a part of him as his team who were his current family were. She didn't resent Shannon for still holding a place in Jethro's heart. Instead, she respected him for moving on after all that he had experienced.

He slowly placed the picture down and into the draw. He then spun around to look at Jenny, he smiled at her. "What are you doing here?" He questioned. She stood there smiling. She was ready to return to work. She wore a shirt dress. IT was fitted like a normal shirt at the top, but went into a skirt that fell just above her knees. It had black buttons on the top and at the cuffs. Jenny had the top few buttons undone so that it wasn't fastened to the top. Her hair was curled and tied into a messy bun with just her fringe and few stands down. Her makeup had grey eye shadow on and a pink 'amethyst' coloured lipstick on. He couldn't believe how beautiful she looked. She had black opaque tights on, and black wedge ankle boots. On her finger was a large silver ring in the shape of a flower, and silver earrings in.

He pulled her down onto her keep making her laugh. She softly kissed his cheek. "Thought I'd come and get you. Make sure that you actually came!" She said jokingly.

"Well, now you are here I guess that you will have no choice." He said with a smile. Jenny rested her head on his shoulder and they just sat there small talking. What they didn't know or realise was that up on the catwalk above them, Director Tom Marrow watched them. It was a long time since he had seen Jethro look as happy and relaxed as he did now. Tom remembered just how touchy and stressful Gibbs had been during his divorces years ago. Sometimes he had wondered if Gibbs would ever truly move on. Now though, now as he looked down at Jethro and his new red head he saw something that he hadn't ever noticed before with Gibbs and his ex-wife: Love. Whether they both knew it or not, Tom did. There was a look in both of them that made his think that maybe Gibbs would use up some of his holiday sometime soon. Then however, he remembered it was Gibbs, l and that it would probably never happen.

The director stood there as he watched Gibbs and Jenny leave, her pulling on her Mac whilst Gibbs pulled on his woollen black one. He watched them walk out hand in hand, smiles on both of their faces.

Gibbs and Jenny went o his house, she sat on his bed whilst he changed into a pair of dark washed Jeans and a pale blue shirt. He grabbed a grey Jacket and then they both left ready for the bar. Tonight Jenny had told him that they had a band playing in the bar. Somehow, Lucy had worked her magic and managed to get a singer called Ron Pope in. Of course, Gibbs being Gibbs did not have a clue that he was, but apparently he was reasonably well known, not that that made any difference to Gibbs. Jethro drove them to the bar, parking in the carpet before they walked in. It was only 18:30, so there were not many people in. The singer was warming up and Gibbs couldn't help but think that he needed to grow up before he knew fame.

Jenny smiled as she took her coat off and returned behind the bar. "Hey Gibbs." Ali said with a smile. She was sat on a bar stood wearing a white sleeveless blouse with a black collar and buttons. She had it tucked into a pair of black denim shorts with silver studs. She wore a pair of tights with black bows drawn on them, and on her feet were her hidden heal black high tops. Ali's hair was down and straightened, with two sections taken back. Her makeup was in its usual style. Heavy black eyeliner and 'moonshine' pale pink lipstick.

"Hey." He said back as he sat down.

"Jethro, this is Gavin, he's our new barman." Said Jenny as she re-emerged from behind the bar. Gavin was tall, had sandy blonde hair and was in his thirties. Jethro did not approve of the man already as he was too good looking in his opinion.

"Nice to meet you . . . Jethro?"

"Gibbs."

"Nice to meet you Gibbs." He said in a charming way.

"He's married Gibbs – don't worry." Stated Ali bluntly from across the bar. Gibbs felt a weigh lift off his shoulders. For a moment he wondered if Jenny would prefer to be seeing Gavin instead. But the fact he was married at least gave him some reassurance.

"Yeah, and happily!" Gavin stated who was cleaning glasses.

As time passed, the bar began to fill up. Abby and Tim arrived with Tony. The two men wore jeans and open neck shirts, meanwhile Abby wore a red tartan print skirt, with a black blouse, she wore her platform boots and had bunches in tied up with red ribbons. Ducky arrived slightly later, dressed in his usual attire with a bow tie. They all sat at a booth, Abby and McGee at the back, with Ducky next to her. Tony sat next to McGee with room for Ali when she popped over every now and again in-between mad rushes of customers. On the other said Gibbs sat with room for Jenny. They talked about old times, cases and friends. Even Gibbs joined in for once. And when Ali and Jenny came over they'd listen intently to the family's tales. The whole time Ron pope played quietly in the background. As the night drew on and 9pm came around he came up to the mike and waited for quiet. "Now a little birdie tells me Ali sings." There was a round of applause. "So, whilst I take a break, I think she should carry on." He said looking over to the bar, and waiting for her to respond. She was shaking her head, not wanting to take away the limelight. But soon the whole bar was chanting 'sing!', so, know2ing it was her last night in DC for a few weeks, she gave in. Yet it was with an evil twinkle in her eye.

"I'll sing if Tony sings too." She said, knowing that he sing a little when he was younger. Tony looked in horror but decided to give in. He walked over and met her once she had grabbed her guitar and whispered the name of a song in his ear. He knew it. So, he sat on a stool as she sat on the bar with a root resting just near to his thigh. And Ali began to strum the cords on her guitar. The whole of the bar stopped and stared, in particular the NCIS Family. Jenny walked over to Gibbs and sat close, he pulled her in and they watched the two members of their family.

Ali closed her eyes softly as she always did, letting the music wash over her before she took the lead and lightly sung the first verse: "Forever I pray those beautiful eyes wanna fall upon me,  
And say, "It's alright, 'cause I'm yours." I'm yours."

Tony smiled and listened to the familiar beat before singing his lines. Slightly quiet at first before he let his restraint go and joined in. "You can change the colour of your hair,  
It's not the way your move your hips,  
Though I can't help but stare.  
You are a mystery to me." And it made Ali laugh slightly, then they sung the chorus together, his soft yet raw voice blurring with her harmonic one.

"Forever I pray those beautiful eyes wanna fall upon me,  
And say, "It's alright, 'cause I'm yours."  
I'm yours."

Ali then began to sing the next verse, listening to her chords and looking up with a smile at Tony as she sung too. "A thousand miles ain't really that much space,  
I dream of you dreaming of me kissing your face,  
And we can talk all night on the phone, 'til the sun comes up." The lyrics fit with the next few weeks when she would be in San Diego. They sung the chorus together.

"Forever I pray those beautiful eyes wanna fall upon me,  
And say, "It's alright, 'cause I'm yours."  
I'm yours." But then tony sung the last verse before Ali finished it off with the final chorus and bridge.

"You might say this is a fairy tale,  
Where the boy finds his princess, then takes it from there.  
Beautiful girl, you are the reason I smile."

"Forever I pray those beautiful eyes wanna fall upon me,  
And say, "It's alright, 'cause I'm yours."  
I'm yours.  
Forever I pray those beautiful eyes wanna fall upon me,  
And say, "It's alright, 'cause I'm yours."  
I'm yours.  
I'm yours"

As Ali strummed the last few chords, her metallic purple nails blurring as she did so, the whole bar erupted into a round of applause. The team were shocked, none of them knew of Tonys hidden talent after all. Ali finished and turned to Tony, he softly kissed her and smiled to her lips. "Thank you." He murmured and she just laughed, confused as why he was saying thank you when she was the one who forced him to sing. But then again he wasn't any other man. And so Ali just smiled.

"Any time." She murmured before kissing him once more.

The evening went smoothly. Ducky left not long after the song finished, needing to get back to his mother. It turned out that he and Jenny had gotten on very well. They'd spoken on occasion during the night and ducky approved. It meant a lot to Gibbs seaming as he saw the older man as a father figure. Tim and Abby left when the clock hit midnight after Jethro had phoned them both taxi. However, Tony and Jethro waited until the end. When the bar had emptied and the mass of the mess was tidied away, Jenny turned to her niece who was putting up chairs whilst Tony stood behind her, attacking her neck.

"Go on, both of you go! I'll finish up." Jenny said with a smirk as she watched the two.

"No Aunt-"

"Yes, now go!" And then they both smiled at her, Ali went behind the bar to grab her jacket and then she ran back to Tony.

"Thank you." She said with a smirk, and then the two ran out, holding hands. Jenny just laughed as they disappeared off. Jethro returned from the back with two cups of coffee and handed one to Jenny.

"They gone?" He questioned, smiling at Jenny. Her hair was falling out of the bun, and now it framed her face, her sleeves were pushed up and she'd dis-guarded her boots. He stood near her, she was much smaller minus the heels.

"Yeah, could barely keep their hands off of each other." She said with a smirk. Jenny then spun around and placed her coffee on the bar. With her arms linked around the back of his neck she leaned in to kiss him. It gradually got more passionate and she pulled away laughing. "I need to clean up here." She said with a smile.

"Hmm." She replied as she began to wipe down the bar. He stood back watching her, in particular her ass. Jenny laughed as she felt his eyes on her.

"You could help you know!" She said before throwing the cloth at him and walking around the other side of the bar.

"Well, I was enjoying the view too much!" He retaliated before chucking it back to her.

"Oh…I noticed that!" She said chucking it at his face. Jenny then carried on placing the stools upside down on the surfaces.

"Well, can't help that my woman is so drop dead gorgeous?" He stated slowly making his way around the bar.

"Your woman? I think that you w2ill find that I belong to no one Mr Gibbs!" She said walking forward towards him.

"Oh is that right? Only maybe I need to mark my territory Miss Shepard."

"Well Mr Gibbs, maybe you do." She stated before he kissed her fully and passionately, telling her all the things he couldn't say in words. When they parted after their lungs burnt for air Jenny smiled, leant her forehead against his and said: "Maybe I can finish this in the morning." Jethro didn't reply, instead he took her hand and began dragging her out, ready to take her home for the night.

_If you want to see Jenny and Ali's outfits then go to my tumblr page (scroll down a bit past all of the Lewis stuff) _

_Thanks! Please review_


	8. Wake me up

_Disclaimer – I don't own NCIS_

_Authors note – I hope that you all enjoy this, sorry for the delay, but I hope that you all enjoy. The next part of the story will be in the next few chapters – enjoy. _

'_You should never cut your hair, 'cause I love the way you flick it off your shoulder, and you will never know, just how beautiful you are to me' – Wake me up by Ed Sheeran ( I got the CD this weekend and it is beautiful. This is my favourite song, and I would write the whole lyrics but you'd be bored :P)_

_**Friday, 9am**_

His eyes slowly opened to find once more that he had the woman who he was not so slowly falling in love with, in his arms. Her head rested gently on his chest, the sound of his heart beat and steady breathing lulling her into a blissful peace. Those bright green eyes were closed so gently, all the lines of worry vanished in sleep. Her long red hair was wavy and fell over her china skin and the white sheets. He slowly ran a hand over it, smiling at the small smile that formed on her pink lips. The peaceful silence was broken by the irritating buzz of a phone. He watched as her eyes began to gradually flutter open and she looked up at him, blinking in displeasure at the fact her slumber was being ruined. "Whose is it?" She mumbled, hiding her face in the crook of his neck in an attempt to ignore the daylight slowly seeping through the curtains. Leaning over he grabbed the offending piece of technology.

"Yours." He stated, annoyed it not being his meaning that he could not just throw it casually across the room, leaving it in pieces on the floor. "It's Ali." He added, knowing that because it was her niece it gave Jenny the will power to take the phone and answer it, rather than just ignoring it.

"Hey." She stated, sleep still evident in her voice. Jethro watched her as she spoke to Ali. Noticed the way the corner of her mouth rose slightly in a smile when the younger red head spoke. Jethro knew that more than anything else that Ali meant the world to her Aunt. As the red head spoke, he ran his fingers softly through her hair, smiling as her eyes fluttered closed at the rest full and repetitive stoking of his hand as she spoke. "Alright darling, take care . . . let me know when you land. . . I will . . . Love you too." And with that she removed the phone from her ear and pressed the end call button.

"She at the airport?" he questioned.

"Yeah, Tony's seeing her off."

"Good." He stated before she rested her head back onto his chest with a casual smile gracing her lips.

"She cares about him you know, I haven't seen her so happy in a very long time." It didn't need an answer, Jenny and Jethro both knew that if Tony ever hurt Ali he would not live to see another day again. Although the younger man had been a playboy, and from time to time mucked up, neither one of them could deny that he cared a lot about the other red head. They both also knew that if he ever did hurt Ali, it would not be either of them that the Italian had to worry about, but instead the woman in question herself.

They spent the next hour in exactly the same positions. It was a Saturday and he was not at work. Jenny however was at work, but for the mean time she was just relishing in the time they got together. She accepted that his job brought with it long hours, and yet she did not begrudge it. When he had been working the case that involved the bar, she had seen the pure determination and devotion that filled his eyes. Jenny was well aware that he could get hurt or even killed any day, and that was why both of them were so dedicated to making the most of what time they had. They knew that it would not be often that they got the chance, those nights when he was not working she was. But that was what they were, and maybe that would be what would make them work in the future. As dysfunctional as it all looked on paper, when it came down to reality, by some spark of magic it worked. Maybe it would not for anyone else, but for them it did, and that was all hat counted.

He looked down as he heard her stomach rumble and laughed. She blushed, and he realised how cute she looked with her cheaks blushed and eyes looking down in embarrassment. "Hungry?"

"Starving." She said and he smiled, before getting up and putting on a pair of tracksuit bottoms. "What are you doing?" She asked, a smirk forming on her face as she watched him.

"Making you breakfast." He said as though it were plainly obvious.

"You can cook?" She stated in almost disbelief.

"Well I don't completely live on takeout Jen." He said with a laugh before walking out the room. She sat there for a few moments before staring at the empty door. He didn't cease to amaze her. Getting up she grabbed his old USMC t-shirt and put it over her head so it fell mid-thigh. It was worn and faded, but it smelt like him and made her smile ever so slightly. With a smile she grabbed the hair bobble that she'd had in last night and put it around her wrist before making her way downstairs, her bare feet walking silently on the floors.

As she walked into the kitchen, Jenny paused and saw him stood in front of the hob, two frying pans heating up. The red head walked up behind him and hugged him around the waist. Leaning her chin on his shoulder she smiled and her senses were attacked by the smell of something delicious being cooked. "Hmm . . . smells good. What is it?" She questioned.

"Cheese scrambled eggs and bacon." He said as he stirred the eggs before spinning around and kissing her softly.

"You are a man of many talents." She stated smiling. Jenny then moved to get two plates out of the cupboard and place them on the work top, then two knives and two forks on the table. She went over to the coffee machine and pored herself and Jethro a fresh cup of what was defiantly their lifeline. As soon as she placed the two white mugs on the table, he was placing down two plates filled with cheesy scrambled eggs and crispy bacon, and placing a rack of toast in the middle. They both sat down and ate in silence, neither needing words, instead just relishing in the moment.

Once they had eaten, they showered and Jethro changed into fresh clothes. Jenny put her dress back on and he then drove her over to her house sp that she could change. Once they arrived at the Georgetown house she showed him the kitchen and told him he could read the paper that had been left on her doorstep earlier in the morning whilst she changed. He was on the fifth page by the time she came downstairs, and it was nearing eleven o'clock and he knew she should be getting to the bar soon. She came down and he smiled at her. She was wearing a pair of dark washed ripped skinny jeans, a baggy tie front white blouse with faded gold buttons. On her feet were a pair of black platform lace up boots, she had a faded gold compass pendant on, and her hair which had been left wet when they left his house was now in natural curls down her back. She smiled at him and grabbed a lipstick off of the counter and applied the dark red colour. "Ready?" She asked before walking out of the kitchen, he boots clip clopping away as she went to grab a Mac jacket. She put it on but left the buttons undone with the belt in its pockets.

"Yeah." He agreed before walking to the door and placing his jacket back on. He'd offered to help her out at the bar, an offer she had accepted gratefully. So, they made their way over to the Duke and before he knew it she had him washing the floors whilst she loaded the dishwasher. He had to smirk at the fact that she had him wrapped around her little finger within a matter of days. But his reward came; as he worked away she fuelled him with coffee. Not imply the coffee, but the smile on her face throughout the whole time they were working and talking together was enough to make him happy to help her out. That and he really did have absolutely nothing else to be doing. If he wasn't here he would be in his basement sanding his boat.

**-A Life Behind Bars-**

Ali walked out of the airport at California, and was hit by the brightness of the sun. Dressed in leggings and chequered shirt she was boiling. DC and California really did seam worlds apart, especially where the weather was concerned. Rummaging in her oversized bag she found her aviator sunglasses and gratefully put them on, thankful that the brightness had been dimmed ever so slightly. She then rolled up her sleeves to try and cool herself down, then, grabbing her bag she attempted at hailing a taxi. After five minutes of being blatantly ignored, one finally stopped. She told the driver the address of the bar and as they slowly made their way through the busy California traffic towards the bar, she texted her aunt.

_I'm in a taxi on my way to the Duchess. Speak to you soon, have fun with Jet ;) don't do anything I wouldn't :P xx_

Ali watched out of the window as the sea turned to hills and back again and smiled. She'd loved it around here when she first arrived in the states, loved how everything always seemed so bright in comparison to the wet rain of England. Now, although it was not where she lived, it still held a lot of memories. It was still a place that uplifted her spirits and made her feel happy, and slightly at home. One say she wants to bring Tony down here. She wanted to take him to the bars she had worked in and show him the place she had first arrived in. Maybe eve one day take him back to England. The taxi pulled up at a small building about five minutes away from the Navy Yard. The place looked a lot better than when she had bought it. It was around the same size as the Duke back in DC, but had been in a lot worse shape. The walls had been crumbling, but there had been something about it . . . something magical. She was not sure what it had once been, all she knew was that I had been derelict, and looked as though it had been collateral damage in some explosion back in time. Now though, it was structurally sound, of that she had been assured.

Stepping out of the taxi, the driver helped her with her bag and she smiled in thanks, before paying him. The builders were off today, she'd told them there was no need for them today. It was two stories and a basement, she'd had the workmen concentrate on the top floor where the empty space had been restored, painted white and had a dividing wall put up. One part was her bedroom whilst the other had a kitchen, and a lounge area. It was all furnished up there. Ali walked through the door, opening it with the key she had been dying to use. When she entered she couldn't help but laugh. It was certainly a blank canvas! The walls were unpainted, and it was just a long rectangle, doors at opposite ends. But it was not a bad thing; this was somewhere she could put her stamp on. Somewhere that could define her. _Well there is no time like the present. _She thought as we went upstairs and dumped her bags before grabbing a can of white paint and a roller. She went into the room and smiled, found a plug socket (one things she had insisted on being sorted – electricity) and plugged in her speakers before attaching her IPod. Soon music filled the empty room. She couldn't help but pause for a moment and listed to the acoustics of the place. It was perfect for music – something she was more than a little happy about. Grabbing the roller she began to paint white. The walls had been half demolished when she bought it, so, the wall on which the bar would be and one perpendicular to it were painted white whilst the other two just had the old parts painted white whilst the new brick was left as it was.

By the times he had finished Ali had ideas flooding through her mind and she couldn't help but grab a pencil and start sketching on a blank piece of paper. She sat there for hours, sketching designs out and thinking up new ideas. And as night fell, Ali realised this was going to be, one hell of a busy few weeks ahead. But with a smile on her face, she picked up the phone, and rung Tony whilst making her way upstairs. And without a shadow of a doubt, he had been more than happy to listen to his girlfriend's excited ramblings about the new bar.

_Please review xx_


	9. Cheated

**Disclaimer – I don't own NCIS**

**Authors note – I hope that you all enjoy this, sorry for the chapter – it's not a happy one but this is the next story line in it. I hope you all enjoy! **

**Thank you all for the reviews! You all ROCK!**

_'can we skip the part where you look in my eyes and tell me you apologise?' - Boys Like Girls, cheated _

**-A Life Behind Bars-**

The next two weeks passed relatively smoothly in DC. There were few new cases for the team to submerge themselves into, so they spent time going over cold cases, helping Abby and Ducky out as well as just generally messing around. By the end of the first week Abby and Ducky had both completed their stock takes, they'd closed all of the active cases, analysed all the evidence they'd had backed up and autopsied all of the bodies. Ducky had brushed up on his psychological profiling and Abby had downloaded over fifty dollars worth of music. Every morning Gibbs would meet up with Jenny for coffee, and most nights she would go back to his house instead of her own. They'd both begun to grow accustomed to sleeping in the same bed every night. And when Fridays came around they'd all headed to the bar, yet without Ali being there, a part of it seemed to be missing.

However, all of this relaxation and having no cases dud have its downsides. It meant that Gibbs' team had nothing to do, and so Gibbs was getting more than a little annoyed with them. And yet, Tony was not quite as bad as Gibbs had anticipated. Whilst he was still being a pain in the backside, he seemed to be hiding in his shell a little more. And then, on the Saturday he had been spending the morning watching Magnum PI when he'd got the call. The whole team who had had the day off came in. They'd investigated and fallen into heir usual positions, yet something was Different. Paula Cassidy and agent they had worked with many times and all liked, along with her team had been killed in an explosion. A woman who Tony had had an affair with a few years ago and still cared about.

The investigation had not been easy. Tony and Gibbs had been hard to deal with, and emotions had run high. However, by Saturday night the whole case had been wrapped up. Those responsible for the explosion had confessed and been handcuffed and taken down to holding. There was enough evidence to prosecute, and all of the team would be buried together. Now, as the sun set over DC, Tony still stood by the window looking out over the Navy yard. It was strange to think that he would never be able to tease her again, never be able to flirt with her in an almost joking way. He remembered when they had been investigation on a ship a few years ago and she had been the agent afloat. He remembered how she had put a case file over her ass because she knew him too well. He remembered how back when they had been together they'd teased and joked. Then his mind fell onto Ali, the girl who he couldn't help but feel like he was falling for. He wondered if Paula would approve, or whether she would tell him to call it off because she was too good for him.

Sighing Tony looked down, the lights were flickering on, casting light into the darkness. He hurt, inside he hurt so much it almost felt like physical pain. He wanted Ali, he wanted someone to hold him, someone to lose himself in – anyone. Running a hand through his hair he carried on staring out the window when e saw the reflection of his bossing the window. "You alright?" he questioned, placing his hand on the younger mans shoulder.

"I'd yes but then I'd be lying." Said Tony not taking his eyes off of whatever it was he was gazing at outside.

"Go home DiNozzo. Said Gibbs before walking off towards the lift. Tony followed his boss with his eyes and saw a familiar red head step off of the lift. Jenny walked over and hugged his, whispering something in his ear that made Gibbs smiled before he took her hand and they disappeared off. _She must have let whatever his name is cover her tonight _thought Tony. He took out his phone and pressed speed dial #1 which was Ali.

"_Yeah?" _He heard her slightly distorted voice answer.

"Hey, it's Tony." He said.

"_Hey." She replied in a slightly softer voice. She had spent the last two weeks doing up the bar, now it was decorated and had everything getting installed. She was tired and stressed, but the bar was in, and currently the barrels were being installed, and the booths drilled in. Deciding to escape the noise and take a break she walked out the front door and away from the bar to talk to her boyfriend. "What's wrong, you sound upset?"_

"You remember I told you about Paula?"

"_Cassidy?" She clarified. "Your ex, yeah I remember, why?" she questioned. The sun was warm and Ali was dressed in a pair of acid wash denim shorts which were now covered in paint, and a thin lemon shirt which was tucked in. On her feet was a pair of cheep white pumps. Her hair was tied up and she wore no makeup. _

"She was killed this morning in an explosion."

"_Oh my god, Tony! Are you alright?" She asked seriously concerned._

"No, Ali I don't know what to do. She's always been there for me you know. No matter what she was a great friend." He sighed, "I . . . I feel as though I've lost a sister."

"_Look Tony, I'd come up but I can't, you know I've gotta stay here. Why don't you fly down? I'm sure Jen will convince Gibbs to give you a few days off. You could just come clear your head and I'll be by your side if you need me?" She asked, hoping he'd accept. But she knew she had to be getting back to work, a builder was trying to get her attention. She signalled she'd be two minutes and he disappeared from view._

"No, no Ali. I . . ."

"_Look I have to go, I'm so sorry. I'll ring you later I promise. I'm thinking of you Tony, and I love you. I mean that."_

"Okay, bye then." He said slightly disheartened. Tony knew he shouldn't hold it against her that she had to work but he did. HE needed her and yet, he could just go down and see her. But he didn't, instead he stayed here. Why? Was it that this was where his memories with Paula were? Or was it that he didn't want consolation from who was technically the woman who had once been Paula. HE needed a drink, and as he closed his phone he decided that was exactly was he was going to do. So he walked over to his desk, placed his badge and gun in his draw, grabbed his coat and left NCIS.

He didn't know why, but tonight he did not go to DC's Duke Bar. Instead he went to the end of town that was furthest away. He went into a cheap bar where the women wore pretty much nothing and sat down on a stool. He ordered a shot of vodka and a bottle of bear. After downing the shot, relishing in the burning as it went down his throat he sat there drinking his bear. The bar was dark and dingy, a stereo typical American bar. The wood and floors were sticky and the music was too tinny to be classed as good. As he sat there drinking, it was not long before a woman sat down next to him. They didn't talk for the first four bears, but then once their blood had a high enough concentration of alcohol in it, and their thoughts were not quite so rational they began to make idle chitchat. "You look like a man wanting to forget." She said, he head resting on her hand. She wore a black skirt that was a little too tight and short to be considered recent, wore a blouse so pink it matched her blusher and had one to many buttons undone.

"And you look like a woman who wants to forget." He replied.

"What do you do?" She asked as she placed her hand on his bicep, feeling the muscles. She was impressed, and quickly and discretely looked t his left ring finger and was pleased to find it empty.

"Cop, you?"

"Finance." She said. "You know, the best forgetting drink is vodka." She said and ordered them two shots. They arrived and both of them downed the liquid. HE then ordered them tequila and within fifteen minutes both were sitting a little closer together.

"You know, we really shouldn't be doing this." He stated as he looked into her eyes, realising just how close together their faces were.

"No, we shouldn't." She stated before sending her lisp crashing down onto his. After that first kiss it was not long before they left the bar, hands roaming urgently.

**-A Life Behind Bars-**

Jenny and Jethro sat on her sofa, both with glasses of wine in their hands. Neither of them spoke, neither of them needed to. She was almost on his knee, and that was his doing. He wanted her close, and after what he had gone through today she didn't blame him. Looking up at him she smiled, but the moment was shot at the shrill of her phone ringing. She looked down and saw that it was her niece, smiling she looked at Jethro who nodded saying it was fine to take it, but he kept his arm around her telling her not to move. "Hey Ali." Said Jenny with a smile.

"_Hey." The younger girl replied. She sat on the sofa of the flat above the bar, wrapped up in a blanket watching a film. "I was just wondering if you'd seen Tony, he isn't answering his phone."_

"No darling I haven't, I met Jethro at NCIS and took the night off. I'm sure he's probably watching a film."

"_Is Gibbs there?"_

"Yeah, hand on I'll put him on." She then turned to Jethro. "It's Ali; she wants to speak to you." He nodded and Jenny softly kissed his cheek with a smile before placing her head in the crook of his neck.

"Hi." He said, not much liking phone calls.

"_Hey Gibbs, is Tony aright?"_

"He'll manage, it's just a shock, and they were close."

"_I know, he's not answering his phone though."_

"Look Ali, don't worry, he's probably got drunk and passed out on the floor."

"_And I shouldn't worry about that?"_

"No, because I did it every night before I met your aunt."

"_Okay, will you look out for him? Please."_

"Yeah, yeah I will do."

And with that he hung up, he kissed Jenny head and they stayed like that for a few more hours before making their way up to bed. Neither of them needed to ask how the other was, because that night was one when words were not enough.

**-A Life Behind Bars-**

Tony DiNozzo awakened, and realised that it felt like a herd of elephants were sat on his head. Almost hesitantly he opened his eyes, only to close them again as he realised that it was too light outside. After a few moment though, he braved it. Only what he saw was almost worse. HE was in a room that was not his or Ali's. It was a motel room; he was in a motel bed. Then he realised it: he was naked. Turning his head to the side he saw a woman, someone who he did not recognise.

He felt like he could cry. He'd cheated on Ali.

Resisting the urge to scream he silently got out of bed, got dressed and left the room. Then, he left the motel and hailed a cab home. When he got to his house he opened the door and slammed it closed. Then, he dug in his pocket to find his phone. IT was dead, after shoving it on charge it finally turned on.

_15 missed calls_

_5 SMS's_

He opened them to find that every one of them was from Ali. He seriously did not know what to do, yet after a cold shower and a strong coffee which would rival even Gibbs he left for work, getting a cab as he was no sure how sober he still was, on his way he decided for now he would tell her that he'd passed out last night after getting drunk – not a complete lie – and then decide what to do.

"Hey." HE said as she answered the phone.

"_Hey, I was worried when you didn't answer my calls."_

"Sorry about that, I got a little drunk, passed out."

"_Gibbs thought you might have, how are you holding up?"_

"Not great, but I'm getting there." HE answered, blatantly lying, in fact he felt worse than he had yesterday, and knowing that he was lying to Ali made things worse – especially when he knew that Paula would have given him a slap across the knuckles after what eh had done.

"_Well just remember my offer still stands. I should be back next weekend though, so I'll see you then."_

"Good, I've missed you."

"_You too Tony."_

"I have to go, I'm at work, see you soon Ali."

"_Bye Tony." _And with that he hung up the phone and walked into NCIS, head pounding and conscience blackened. Tony DiNozzo was not sure what would happen, only he was sure of one thing and one thing only: he was a dead man walking.

**Dun, Dun, Duuuunnn **

**Please review!**


	10. Leaving California

**Disclaimer – I don't own NCIS**

**Authors note – I hope that you all like this, I am sorry for the delay; there will be more jibbs in the next chapter. Thanks for all of your reviews, please keep them coming and enjoy**

"_I took a picture for you but I painted it black, One more dream around a run a way drive, Now there's one less burned out star in the sky, leaving California tonight." – Boys like Girls, Leaving Califonia_

It had been a week since Tony DiNozzo had woken up with the feeling f betrayal washing over him. A week and in that time he had barely spoken to Ali, using the excuse he needed to work. Yet in reality he hadn't, in fact they had had very few cases and yet he could not face her. There was a feeling of absolute dread that washed over him when he thought about telling her what he had done. Somehow he could not seem to be able to face it. And with all of his internal battles and contrasting emotions inside of him he ended up taking out all of his frustration on those he cared most about. He was grumpy, he was tired from not sleeping and more than anything he was filled with self hatred. All of this added to him being in an extremely bad mood all week, this bad mood had been taken out on Tim when he explained thing that the senior agent did not understand. He insulted Abby when he snapped, and upset her. When ducky had been going on about some tale Tony had walked out. The only person he hadn't dared to snap at was Gibbs yet even Gibbs had noticed that the younger agent was not his usual self.

However today was the day on which Ali was due to return from California for a few days. So, Gibbs had decided that he would most likely have his senior agent back to normal as he had decided to accept that Tony's extraordinarily strange mood was due to missing Ali. Yet he was proved wrong, as instead of Tony's mood improving by the fact that he would see the redhead in only a few hours, instead it worsened. Whereas Gibbs thought that he would be happy, instead Tony was worrying that he would end today alone.

Gibbs sat at his desk looking forward to when he would get the chance to leave. Ali had told Jenny that she could have that evening off since she had been the one to run the bar for the last few evening. However Jenny and Jethro had decided to go to the bar for a few drinks and listen to the music before escaping off back to his house. Smiling as he thought of the evening tonight he looked over to the desk where tony was sat in time to see his senior agent chuck a stapler across the room and storm of. Sighing and running a hand through his hair the older agent accepted now things had gone too far and so he got up to followed Tony to the lift. As they waited Gibbs said nothing, he just stood there beside his agent. But as soon as the pair had stepped inside of the cold steal box and the doors had closed, a tense and eerie silence filled the space. As the lift began to move Gibbs leant forward – and just as tony had anticipated – he flicked on the emergency stop. Turning to the younger agent he glared his infamous Gibbs glare.

Tony however for once did not shrink. He was so fuelled up and annoyed that a simple glare would not weather him down. "What the hell was that DiNozzo?" He asked, he was not impressed, in fact he was fuming.

"Nothing." Said the younger agent, averting his eyes from the piercing glare and leaning back against the wall.

"No, because it seems to me that something is eating you up."

"It's none of your business."

"No? Well when it starts affecting your work, and when you start taking it out on people who have done nothing, then it becomes my business. So DiNozzo, what the hell is going on?!" Tony looked up at his boss, and closed his eyes, running his hand thought his waxed brown hair. Now, he decided it was time to come clean. "Well?"

"I've screwed up Gibbs." He said, bashing the wall next to him with a clenched fist. "For the first time in . . . in so long I was happy! And now . . . then I had to go and make a mess outta it!"

"What have you done DiNozzo?"

"I . . . that night after Paula had . . . that night I went to this bar, and I." He swore under his breath. "I slept with someone else Gibbs! I didn't even know her name! I mean, I just needed to forget!" He swore again and slammed the wall.

"You cheated on her!"

"I was drunk boss! I-"

"Go! She's at the bar now, you go down there, you take her somewhere private and you tell her DiNozzo! God-dammit! Whatever she says you accept, and if she ends it then you have no one to blame but yourself!" Gibbs shouted before putting the lift back into action and leaving at the next floor. As he watched his boss leave and he was left alone, Tony realised just how hard it must be for Gibbs to have listened to that when he was dating Ali's aunt and saw her as a sort of daughter.

As Tony got to the ground floor he walked out of NCIS, not quite knowing what to do. HE knew that he had to do what Gibbs had said or else his troubles would just end up being more than doubled, and that he also needed to think about things. So he left the car and began to walk. He had no coat, and for a fact he actually had no car keys either. The wind was brick and cold against his shirt covered torso. The distance between NCIS and DC's Duke seemed too short for his liking. It seemed shorter that it ever had before, and now was the one time he wanted it to be longer.

Ali sat in the bar with Jenny. They were sat on the edge of the bar; the place was silent and all ready for that evening. Between them was a splayed out magazine that neither of them was bothering to acknowledge. They smiled as Jenny quizzed her niece on the events of California. "So, what the place like?" Jenny asked, desperate to know.

"It was run down, half blown up and falling apart when I bought it, but now . . . now it is amazing!" Said Ali laughing. "I sear, only I would buy something that had falling down walls and barely any roof. But by the time I got down there it had been made structurally sound. There is a flat above, and the bar. . . Well put it this way, half of it is white the other half is brick work. The booths are similar and the bar is dark wood. It's like here, but there is something different too. "Jenny looked at the younger woman who she looked at like a daughter and smiled.

"What do you mean?" she asked, wordlessly attempting to picture exactly what the bar was going to look like in her mind.

"I . . . I guess it's so much more a marine style to it. The entire bar staff hat I have hired are former marines. There is a wall of members lost in battle. It seems . . . I don't know it's just so different to the Duke."

"I cannot wait to see it darling." Said Jenny gently hugging her niece.

"Yeah, about that."

"What? Don't you want me to come to opening anymore?" Asked Jenny, not quite understanding what it was that Ali was saying.

"No! Of course I want you there! I was wondering if you would try and persuade Gibbs to come too. I know he had worked any everything, but he's sort of become like an uncle to me – even if it had only been a month – and I want him there." Ali said with a hint of nervousness in her voice. Jenny could not help but let the smile spread across his face.

"I'm sure he would be honoured Al. I'll talk to him tonight." Said Jenny, hugging Ali once more before getting up and grabbing a cloth to go and wash down the tables once more.

It was at that moment that Tony DiNozzo finally built up the confidence to walk in. He opened the door to see Ali sat on the bar, casually flicking through a magazine. She had on a pair of black and white striped jeans with a baggy pink off the shoulder sweater. Her shirt for the evening was hung up in the back. She turned around to see him and got up; she near enough ran over and hugged him, feeling safer in his arms. But the pause in his response, the stiffness in him and the way he seemed nervous worried her. She pulled back and looked at him.

"You okay?" She asked, her English accent overwhelming him. She looked cold being back in DC.

"Can. . . Can we talk?" HE asked.

"Sure, you want to go for a walk?" She asked, somehow knowing what he was about to say would not be something that she would want her aunt to whiteness.

"Yeah."

"Let me get my coat."

Within ten minutes Ali and Tony were walking down the road, they'd closed up the bar in which Jenny was cleaning still ready for the evening. They walked in silence all the way to park, sat down on the park bench. Tony leant forward, running a hand through his hair and burying his face in the palms of his hands. Ali watched him, the sense of nervousness growing ever more in the pit of her stomach. "Tony, what is going on?" She asked, attempting to hide the shaking from her voice. "Is it about Paula? Because you know you can talk to me." She said, placing her hand on his shoulder.

"No, no Paula had nothing to do with it."

"Then what is it Tony, you are worrying me."

Sighing he swallowed his pride and faced the music. "You know the night you couldn't get a hold of me?" he said, hoping he was imagining it all and that it would go away in the blink of an eye.

"Yeah, yeah you got drunk and passed out. You explained it all, I understand its fine."

"No Ali, it's not. I . . . that night I did get drunk, but . . . I left something out. Quite a lot."

"Tony, please tell me."

"Ali I screwed up! I left the yard and went to some messed up bar. I was so annoyed; I was so upset I felt responsible!" He stood up and began to pace. "Ali, I . . . there was some woman there. WE got talking, drank way too much! Ali it meant nothing I swear to you!"

Ali stood up and placed her hands on his shoulders. She looked directly in his eyes before removing her hands as if his shoulders were fire. He saw that change in her eyes, the way they almost drained of colour. "You . . . you slept with her?" She said it so quietly.

"Ali-"

"NO!" She shouted. "Will you just tell me the god damn truth Tony?"

"I slept with her." He said, his eyes cast down before looking up. "But I was drunk Ali, I didn't know what I was –"

"Do not use that excuse! Tony I work in a bar, I see how people react to Alcohol every day; do not tell me you didn't know what you were doing!"

"I was drunk."

"Yeah, well Tony when a person is drunk, they still know what they are doing." She had tears building up behind her eyes. She turned away and sat on the bench, burying her head in her hands. He felt the wave of guilt hit like a tsunami. Kneeling down in front of her he placed his hands on her knees.

"Ali we can work through this, I will never do it again-"

"Get off me." She said and he moved back. "I can't do this Tony. Once is enough, it's all it takes. For the first time I let myself fall in love with someone. Hell I trusted you! And look what you have done; you've thrown it back in my face." Alison stood up, and sighed. "I can't do this Tony."

"Are you saying it's over?" He asked it was the worst case scenario, something he didn't want to be true; something that he had hoped would not be true.

"Yeah, Tony I think I am. For now at least, maybe at some point we could be friends again. But . . . it's too much. Goodbye Tony." She said, turning away with tears streaming down her face.

Tony DiNozzo watched the woman he had fallen in love with walking away. He saw the tears on her face that he had been the course of. Tony DiNozzo roughly pulled a hand down his face and sighed. He really had messed up. With the threat of tears about to fall, he walked off to the firing range. If he couldn't throw something, then maybe shooting something would help.


	11. Philadelphia

**Disclaimer – I don't own NCIS**

**Authors note – thank you for your reviews, I know you all want more jibbs, and I'm sorry about the lack in the last chapter, but it needed to be written! Here is the next, and it is loaded with Jibbs! Hope that you all enjoy. There is only about another chapter and then the epilogue until this is over I think! Wow! Anyway, enjoy, xx**

'_It's the truth before the lies, it's the way she doesn't try, it's the wink before the slight, in Philadelphia' – Philadelphia by Parachute _

The bar was open, the new barman stood behind the bar wiping glasses whilst minding his own business, but the place was empty, no one was in yet. The two red heads were sat in the booth in the corner. White mugs filled to a centimetre or two below the brim with coffee, now stone cold, sat in their hands. Ali had changed from her jumper into an oversized white shirt. Her hair had been pulled back away from her face and dried tear tracks lay imprinted in salty water down her cheeks. As soon as Ali had stepped through the doors of the bar that she called home she had fallen to the floor in a bundle, crying her eyes out as the composure that she had somehow managed to keep together on the walk back broke down into a million pieces. Jenny had come rushing out and sat down beside her, enveloping the woman who was almost a daughter to her in a hug as she let her cry all she needed to, not needing to push for an explanation, letting Ali give her one when the right time came.

One the younger red head had cried all the tears she could, Jenny had sat her down and made them both mugs of coffee. And slowly, as the coffee warmed her through she began to think clearly again. She'd looked into her aunts big green eyes and told her the whole story, told her what exactly it was that had happened with Tony, and then Jenny had hugged her again. They'd spoken, small talk really, meaningless but at the same it brought with it a sort of comfort that only people who know you so well can.

Now they sat there, in what could almost be described as a stunned silence, neither still fully able to comprehend the events that had lead up to where they now were. Ali took a sip of the cold coffee, regretting it as soon as the liquid entered her mouth and pulling an almost comical face of disgust as she registered the coolness. "I can't believe that he would do that Ali." Jenny said, smirking at her niece as she pulled a face.

"I . . . I guess asking him to wait nearly a month for me when we had barely even started our relationship was too much." It felt like a confession as she said it out load. She wondered if this was how religious followers felt when they went into confession and bared their darkest secrets. If they felt as though a weight had been lifted off of them, only to have something a hundred times heavier had been the replacement.

"It shouldn't have been Al, it really shouldn't have been." Jenny placed her hand on top of that of her nieces in a comforting way; hoping that it would give the younger woman something to hold onto if she needed it.

"I know." She said, but deep down she knew no words would ever stop her feeling as though it were her fault. "I've decided that I am going to fly back to California tomorrow. I know I was going to stay but . . ." _But what?_ She wondered to herself. _But the thought of what Tony did is swallowing me up? That down in California she had been oblivious? That she hoped that she would become all that oblivious again._ "But I can't deal with it, can't deal with being here for the moment." And that was it, _because I'm a coward and I'm running away. Just as I did in England when University got too much: I ran, I'll run. _"I want to watch over things before the opening anyway. You and Gibbs can come down and . . . and then maybe I'll come back, or maybe I won't. I've already spoken to an ex-Marine Gibbs knows about being a new barman for DC anyway. That way you don't have to stay here and work24/7."

Jenny sat in silence for a few moments, letting it all sink in. "You sound like you are making it all final." She said, knowing in her heart that it would be a long time before Ali returned to DC. Whether Ali knew it or now, it was true.

"I haven't made anything definite yet." Ali said with a smile. "Look it's getting on and I know you are on your day off and meant to be meeting Jethro-"

"Ali he can wait, you are what matter at the moment." Jenny interrupted; not wanting her niece to ever feel as though she was being put second.

"No, No Jen, it's fine. I'm going to go and have a fag, and then . . ." She took a deep breath. "I'm going to pack, book a fight, ring my new barman and then I'm going to get on with work."

"Ali, I don't want to leave you when you are all upset." The older red head admitted.

"I know, but with you here all I am going to do is sit here, drink coffee and wallow in self pity. Now go, go and see Gibbs, act like love sick teenagers and I will no doubt see you later." Jenny smiled at her niece, sometimes she blew her away. Standing up, albeit be reluctantly, Jenny decided to agree with her niece. Jenny knew that if she stayed she would make Ali take I easy, and she also knew from past experience that if Ali were anything like she had been when she was her niece's age then she would want to drown herself in work for a while. So Jenny walked around the other side of the table and kissed her nieces cheek.

"If you need me then you call me, okay?" She stated, almost in the same voce she had used when she was in the police. Informative, and as though she was as in charge as she had been once upon a time, and yet with a very strong undertone of the fact that she cared. Sympathy, knowledge, hope and caring were all woven through the statement in a way that would reassure anyone.

"I will. Now go, have fun!" Ali said, with an evil smirk.

Jenny walked out of the bar with a sad, bittersweet feeling inside of her. Whilst she was excited to be spending the night with Jethro, she was also worried for Ali. Jenny walked back to her house, even though she had a few hours until she was due to meet Jethro, she decided she would start getting ready and then go and meet him at NCIS. That way she could also glare daggers into the man who had hurt her niece.

Back at NCIS Gibbs was sat drinking the coffee that he had just been out to get. It was his almost bitterly strong blend which was scalding hot, and yet he managed to drink it easily, almost relishing as it seared down his throat. He was sat at his deck in the bull pen. NCIS was quiet for a weekend, and for once the team had no case which made him very happy. McGee was down with Abby, doing God only knows what. Tony however had not returned yet. So Gibbs was shocked when his phone bleeped into life with a message. He flipped it open and saw that it was from Jenny. A small smile spread across his face and he opened it, reading the message that appeared on the screen in slightly pixellated letters.

_Did you know what Tony had done to Ali?! Xx_

HE sighed, running a hand though his hair and looking at the screen. He knew that if Jenny saw Tony anytime soon he would get a slap around the face. But at the same time he was slightly relieved as he realised that this meant Tony had come clean, he had not taken the easy way out and pretended like nothing had happened. Now Gibbs had to think about what he was going to say. Should he say that he hadn't known? Or tell her he had? That would mean that it looked like he had lied to her then though. Gibbs decided that if he wanted his and Jenny's relationship to end up any better that the rest of his marriages, then he needed to tell her the truth. So feeling slightly proud of himself for knowing how, he texted her back.

_Yeah, I found out this morning. Made him go and tell her as soon as I found out. Gave him a head slap his grandkids will feel too. Xxx_

It was only moments later he got a text back from her. And once more his face lit up with a smile. The director stood up on the catwalk near MTAC watching his agents. Every now and again he did, almost as though he were surveying his kingdom so to speak. He watched as agents signed files and worked on cases. Then his eyes lingered on the MCRT cubical. McGee was not there, so he guessed that the tech-savvy agent was down with Abby. Tony was god only knows where but Gibbs was there. And as he looked at him he saw the older agent doing two things that made marrow pinch himself: 1) he was texting which was unbelievable in its self, and 2) he was smiling. Not his signature smirk like always before, but a real smile, just like the one that he had seen him wearing a few time over the last few weeks.

_Thanks, sorry for thinking the wrong thing. She's so upset J! I don't know what to do xx_

Gibbs felt a massive pang at his heart. He felt as though the girl he was beginning to see as his own Niece had been hurt by the man he saw as a son.

_There is nothing more you can do. Just be there when she needs you. And remember I love you xx_

He replied, with a slight smile. He wished that he could be with Jenny right now. Wished that all of a sudden he could press a fast-forward button on the day so that it would take him to the evening, then press pause so he could just live out the rest of is days in one of those completely blissful moments of peace.

_You really are amazing Jethro. I'll meet you at NCIS later. Love you too xx_

And with that he traced the last three words and looked up to see Tony walking in. His eyes were red and he looked like he'd been crying. Gibbs walked up to him and looked down, glaring at the younger man who was now seated behind his desk. Tony didn't need to ask to know what his boss wanted to ask. "I told her, and she finished it. It's over, and I have no one to blame but myself."

"You did the right thing." Gibbs said, in a way he was sort of proud of Tony for telling the truth. For biting the bullet and doing what was required of him.

"Yeah? Well it doesn't feel like it." Gibbs began to walk off, head slapping the younger agent as he went.

Hours passed by, and Jenny stood in her wardrobe, slowly picking out what she was going to wear. Eventually she decided, and went about carefully curling the ends of her hair. Soft country music, a habit that Ali had caused to rub off on her aunt, flooded through the room. And an hour later Jenny stood in front of her mirror with her jacket on. She had a black A-Line skirt with slight pleats that fell just above her knee. On her top half she had a purple blouse which had a slight metallic colour to it. On her feet were purple suede heels, their high would compete with anyone else's. Around her neck was a dragon fly necklace with little gems in it. She had on a black leather 'All Saints' jacket which she remembered blowing her first month's pay on when she first joined PD. Smiling at her appearance she applied a coat of bright red lipstick and grabbed her clutch before heading off.

She got in a cab seeming as it was dusk on a late Saturday afternoon and headed towards the Navy yard with a smile on her face. She knew she was early, but at the same tie doubted that Gibb would be annoyed. She glanced out of the window and watched as the familiar city passed her by. A smile fell on her face. She wondered though, if her life had been different and she had passed that fitness exam, would she still be in the PD? Or maybe that was a warning, that there was something bigger coming. Maybe Ali would have buried her aunt, never met Tony. Maybe Ali would e a lawyer in England. Life would be so different. But what Jenny did know was that in some almost ironic way, that man who had failed her, well she had a lot to thank him for. Because she didn't know if she would be on her way to meet the man she was in love with otherwise.

As the cab pulled up outside the headquarters, she smiled, thanked the driver and paid him the due amount. Once he had gone she walked up into the entrance, told the security she was seeing Gibbs and went through the metal detector. After re-clasping her necklace around her neck she finally stepped into the lift. It was cold and metal, but there was something about it that flashed her back to the old half broken and faulty one back at her old station. The way that to get to her squad room you used to have to press the button for the one above, then get off and take the stairs. However at least the NCIS one worked slightly better, so as the doors opened Jenny was smiling.

The bullpen's bright orange colour scheme was enough to give anyone a headache, but at least the place was light. Unlike some of the other dingy dark squad rooms she had been in over the years. Jenny made her way to the familiar section in the room which held the MCRT. McGee had reappeared from Abby's and was sat at his desk, Tony too; however Gibbs was not there at that moment.

As the redhead walked past the senior agent's desk she gave him a glare that would compete with Gibbs' any day. There was a look of annoyance and almost disgust in her eyes, emotions that Tony not only knew she felt, but that he felt towards himself as well. Jenny then turned her gaze to McGee who was sat working. "Hello Tim." She said smiling at the younger man. Although she did not know him as well as the rest of the team, she knew that he was a good man.

"Hello Jenny." She said softly. It was amazing how since he had joined Gibbs' team, the agent's confidence had rocketed. He was no longer the stammering probie who had been based in Norfolk, but now an agent who any team leader would be proud to have on their team. "You look lovely." He said acknowledging Jenny's outfit. The redhead smiled, but before she had time to respond Gibbs walked in with one of his smart arse comments.

"She's taken McGee!" Gibbs said as he walked towards Jenny with a smile, and stood a little closer than usual. His senses were overwhelmed by the smell of her perfume, and for a moment he became lost in the depths of her green eyes.

"Boss I wasn't-"McGee began as he attempted to depend himself.

"Leave the poor boy alone Jethro, he was simply complementing me on my outfit." She said with a smile. He looked like he didn't believe her, but kept quiet none the less, not wanting to have an argument with her over something so petty.

"Come on, need to go and see Ducky." He said, taking her hand as they went. They walked briskly whilst prying eyes were on them, but once they had turned to corner to the back lift they slowed down and he placed an arm around her waist and she smiled. "You look amazing Jenny." He said as he placed a kiss on her temple.

"Thank you." She said with a smile. As they stood waiting for the lift she looked up at him and decided to ask him about doing down to California. "Jethro, Ali is going back down to California tomorrow."

He looked dawn and hugged her tighter. "I'm sorry Jen."

"She asked me to talk to you. We both know you have work and obviously if you can't we won't be offended, but she asked if you would take Friday and Monday off. She'd like you there for the opening, and for us both to stay for the weekend." She looked up, hopeful that he'd say yes.

"Course I will do Jenny." He said, leaning down and kissing her softly. When they parted and got on the list he smiled once more. "We'll go see Tom after Ducky; I think he'd like to meet you."

When they got off at autopsy and walked in, Jenny saw Ducky had a body on the table, but I didn't bother her. After years in Pd, a dead body was nothing to turn her stomach. "Ah, Jethro." Ducky said looking up. However he was not expecting to see Jenny as well. "Hello my dear, if I'd have known you were coming I'd have put out visitor away." HE said in his soft Scottish accent.

"It's find Ducky, I've seen enough DB's in my life not to have my lunch make a reappearance anymore." She said with a smile.

"Ducky, I need you to talk to Tony." Said Gibbs, he knew Jenny was staring daggers into him bu for know he had to worry about his agent.

"Ah, scuttlebutt is to be believed then I take it." Ducky said as he removed his gloves and threw them into the bin.

"I'm afraid so. I know he did wrong, but I'm worried, I need you to do your head doctor stuff." He said, in his usual Gibbs way.

"BY that I take it you mean my psychological profiling."

"Yeah that."

"Well Jethro, I think you know all I will ever know. He's very much like you were when you fist came here. Although you may deny it, there are very many resembling features between you both."

Gibbs ran a hand through his hair. "Yeah Duck I know." And with that he began to walk out. Ducky turned to stop Jennifer.

"You won't find a better man than Jethro my dear, but as you worry about Alison and her heart like a daughter, he worried about Anthony and his like a son." She smiled, and gently placed a hand over his. Looking in the old doctor's eyes she replied in words that could be no more honest than thye were.

"And that is why I love him." She said with a smile before following him out.

When she exited the cool room of autopsy she saw him stood by a wall. HE looked s though he was having an internal debate and she walked up to him and hugged him. "I don't resent it you know? You look out for Tony. As much as I hate him for what he has done, he still need people who care." HE looked down, none f his wives had ever understood how his team were his family. But Jenny did. Maybe it was the copper in her, or maybe it was who she was. But whichever part of it made her like that, which was the part he loved.

Up in his office the director was sighing off case reports. It seemed that as the years passed him by, agents hand writing got harder to read, even with his glasses on. The room was silent, apart from the sound of his ever loyal assistant trying to stop Gibbs from entering. Marrow could not help but smirk as he removed his glasses and placed them in the draw. Whilst he knew that he needed them, he was not all too happy about the whole agency knowing that age was creeping up on him, so he kept them hidden. As Gibbs came in, Marrow was surprised to see the re head who was obviously the woman of Gibbs heart stood with him.

"Tom, meet Jenny, Jenny this is Director Tom Marrow." She walked forward just as the director did as shook his hand with a smile.

"It's nice to meet you." She said, holding back on the sir that half a decade ago would have been needed.

"As it is you." He replied softly. "Now what can I do for you both?"

"Need two day off." Gibbs said gruffly. "Friday and Monday this weekend." He specified.

"Are you sure this is the same man who has over half a year's worth of paid leave stacked up?"

"Well yeah tom! Just never needed to use it before." Gibbs said smirking as per usual.

"Good, means the SecNav might stop nagging me about your leave if you take a couple of days off." HE said smiling. "Anything else?" He asked.

"Nope. And with that Gibbs went. Jenny cast a smile and began to leave.

"Jenny." Said the director and she turned. "Thank you, I haven't seen Gibbs as happy as he is now . . . well ever to be honest. So thank you."

She smiled at once more being congratulated on handling the silver fox. "I think if you spoke with my old chief he'd say the same about Gibbs making me happy." And with that Jenny left the office, a smile gracing her face at the sight of Gibbs waiting. Finally, his day was over, so he grabbed his jacket and left with a smile on his ace, hand in hand with Jethro. And as they walked towards the bar for the evening, knowing that for once Tony would not be there, Ali would be playing sad songs and Jenny would not be working, Jenny asked a question that she had been dying to ask since she left the director's office.

"How long exactly is it since you last had a day off Jethro?" But his only answer was to laugh. But she didn't mind, because that was all the confirmation she needed: about the same amount of time as it had been since she took a holiday.


	12. Daddy

**Disclaimer – ncis is not mine**

"_He pulled you closer said he'll never let go, You couldn't trust him but you never say no, In that moment he made you forget how it feels when he's gone" Daddy, by Emeli Sande – I'm addicted to this song and to her too!_

The week passed by smoothly for them all. Ali went back down to San Diego on the Sunday leaving Jenny, Gavin the bar man and Dan, a marine Gibbs had known who was now working at the duke. Jenny had had her hands full, she had been training Dan up whilst dealing with a week that had been extremely busy thanks to a shipload of navy officers returning home from a tour of duty. So, by the time Thursday afternoon came, she was more than glad to leave the bar in the capable hands of the two men and go home to pack.

For Jethro the week had not been quiet either. It turned out that some idiot had decided to go and raid all of the banks on marine bases. The fact that he'd let prints everywhere would have been a bonus, if it then had not turned into a man hunt. Tony was still hiding within his shell, and not even Abby could get him out. McGee was stepping in, trying to work hard so that they all got home in time. However for Tony, that meant drowning his sorrows in drink. Gibbs was worried about the younger man even if what he had done had broken a young girl's heart; he hoped that the lad would not punish himself anymore.

As Thursday afternoon drew to an end Gibbs gathered up all of the case reports for the last week – which were surprisingly complete – and headed up to the director office. Everyone had noticed how the former marine had a spring in his step, and on that afternoon he defiantly did. The thought of spending the weekend with the woman he loved in the sun made him the happiest man in DC. Something inside him had changed of late, a feeling like he had not had in a long time. The whole worlds seemed a little bit brighter, even bearable.

However no matter how much of a good mood the man was in, some things would never change. As he walked in to the outer office where the Director's assistant was, he didn't even acknowledge her presence. Walking straight in he let the door slam behind him and walked up to the wooden desk and placed the files in the in tray. Marrow rolled his eyes and turned away from him computer screen, with the wire rimmed glasses on the end of his nose. "Thank you Jethro." He said with a light tone in his voice. "For once I did not even have to badger you to get them."

"Nah, DiNozzo is even there." Replied the silver haired man, his iconic smirk fixed in place.

"Well I am pleased." He said picking up the top file to see which case it related to. "When do you leave for California Gibbs?" He asked as he removed the glasses form his nose and placed them on the desk softly as not to scratch them before rubbing his eyes to get rid of the dry tired feeling in them.

"Fly out tonight." Gibbs responded.

"Well then Jethro, I hope you have a good time and I envy you I the Sun." both men shared a slight smile. They'd known each other for years, Gibbs had done undercover work and all sorts under the guidance of marrow and both were happy enough to count on the other as a friend. "You may as well go home Jethro. IT's not like you'll get another case before six anyway, and even if you do I am sure that DiNozzo is more than capable of dealing with it."

"Thank you Tom." Said Gibbs before walking out of the office and down the stairs to the bullpen where his team sat. He went straight to his desk where he placed his service weapon and badge in the draw before grabbing his car keys and coat. Jenny was most likely at home packing and he'd told her that he'd go straight there after work seeming as he had packed the previous night and placed the duffle bag into his boot this morning. Looking at his team he hoped that in his absence they would manage to cheer Tony up.

"Right, I'm off, DiNozzo you're in charge. See ya Tuesday." He said before walking off. It was as he approached the lift that Abby came bounding out, still wearing her lab coat and a beaming smile. She ran up to him, platform boots somehow managing to keep quiet as he did so. Her pigtails bounded up and down like the ear of an animal as it runs across a field in the spring.

"Gibbs!" She squealed before attaching herself to him in a hug. "I thought I would come and see you because I really did not want you to leave without saying goodbye! Not that you wouldn't because then that would be ruse and you're not rude Gibbs you're never rude, except when you're really annoyed ten you are sharp and to the point but that is not rude Gibbs!"

"Abs-"He said trying to cut her off. "Breath." And with that she stopped and let out a deep breath, almost theatrically.

"Have a relay good time in California Gibbs!" she said before hugging him once more. "And have fun with Jenny because she is really nice and I like her. Oh and wish Ali good luck wish her bar and tell her I'll come see it when I am next due time off which is soon I think."

"I will do Abs." He said before kissing her cheek as he always did. "I gotta go."

"Oh yeah, I don't want you missing your flight. Bye Gibbs." She said, hugging him for a third time and making him smirk before he got on the lift and left. As the doors closed she bound into the MCRT section of the bullpen and smiled. "The boss is gone now let's PARTY!" She squealed. And for the first time all weak Tony cracked a smile. Only a very small one but he still smiled.

Jenny stood at the foot of her bed, trying to decide which of the four dresses she had out to take. Looking at her suitcase and the back at the bed she laughed to herself. "Oh sod it!" She said with a smile. "I'd may as well take the lot." She began to take them off of their hangers and fold them up into neat squares. Her suitcase was already nearly full with swim suits and shorts as well as a load of other stuff. She was not sure if she would be helping out behind the bar or not so she had decided to prepare for any situation and season as well by the look of her bag.

Jenny had just placed her final pair of shoes into the bag and was attempting to fasten it up when she heard Noemi answering the door. When she heard the voice of her lover drifting up through the house she smiled, and let herself take a deep breath and relax, she always did get stressed when packing. Hearing his footsteps come up the stairs she finally managed to close the bag, albeit be through brute force. HE smiled as he watched her from the door. Head bent in concentration whilst the few y strands of hair that were not in the bun fell down over her face. "You all packed?" He questioned as she stood up.

"Yeah, I think so."

"Nothing else to go in?" Jethro pushed, knowing that she would probably have forgotten something.

"Nothing else will go in Jethro." She said with a smirk. IT was then she realised how much she had missed him considering the fact that she had not seen him in a week. Slowly she walked over and gave him a hug. After the week they had both had, Jenny and Jethro relaxed at one another's presence. Smiling she looked up and captured his lips in a kiss which held a promise. When they pulled apart he kissed her forehead. "I missed you this week." She admitted as he listened to the soothing sound of his heart.

"I missed you to Jen." HE replied as he smiled at her. They stayed like that for a few more minutes, content at just being with one another. But then both knew that they would need to leave soon so they pulled apart. "Want to eat now or at the airport?" He questioned.

"May as well eat at the airport, we'll have a few hours to kill after all." She said with a smile. "Noemi has baked cookies though, want one before we go?" She asked, but she didn't wait for an answer as she was already going down the stairs to the kitchen. Her brown suede heels with a little strap across making a clip clopping sound on the solid wooden floors. Her navy blue dress with a ribbon belt softly going out behind her and she went. Her finger placed a stray strand of hair behind her ears as she turned to look up at him with a smile. Her lips covered in bright red, eyelashes coated in a perfect layer of mascara. "Jethro, what are you doing?" She asked, bewildered by the fact he was staring at her. But him being him he did not respond, instead he walked down the stairs and took her hand.

"You are beautiful Jenny." Was all he said. She pecked his lips before leading him by the hand to the kitchen where she picked up one of the triple chocolate cookies from the plate and sat down. He mimicked her and sat opposite. It amused him how she could not eat a cookie as it was, instead she broke it up into smaller pieces, making a mess on the working top as she went. By the time they were finished it was time to go, so whilst Jenny dug around in her wardrobe for a jacket Jethro picked up the massive suitcase.

"What the hell have you got in here Jen? It weighs a tonne!"

"Well I couldn't decide what to take!" She replied from inside the wardrobe.

"So you packed it all?!"

"Pretty much!" She laughed to herself whilst he took it down stairs, mumbling something about it costing them excess baggage. The drive to the airport was peaceful; Jenny had booked them parking in advance which meant that they just had to find their designated place when they got to the airport. Outside Jenny watched as they neared the airport, smiling as she saw all of the planes taking off. She'd flown all over the place when she was young, yet as she'd grown up and left home it was rare that she got the chance to go away – especially in recent years. So today, flying made her gain a sense of nerves; it gave her butterflies in her stomach. The reason she had eaten before she left was because she wasn't sure she'd be able to stomach any food until they were in the air.

Beside her she felt Jethro's eyes on her as he turned. Gently he placed his hand on her leg and squeezed softly, reassuring her that he was there if she needed him. It helped, especially the fact that his rough and strong palm stayed there the whole time until they reached the airport. As they did, and the car pulled to a stop, Jenny to a deep breath and momentarily closed her eyes. Beside her Jethro smiled. "You alright?" He questioned, worry evident in his voice.

"Yeah." She responded with a slight smile before adding: "Just a little nervous that's all."

**-A Life Behind Bars-**

By the time the two arrived in California, the sun was beginning to set and evening was coming. Stepping out of the airport Jenny slid on her sunglasses. Even if it was dusk, the sun was low and getting in her eyes. The airport was busy, people coming and going. Tourists' red raw from two weeks under the sun filtered into the departures lounge, whilst other pale in contract left arrivals ready for their time in the sun. Jenny and Jethro walked slowly, hand in hand dragging their cases behind them. Thankfully the flight had been smooth, and although because of nerves Jenny hadn't eaten anything back at the airport, they'd shared something on the plane.

Now they were here, in the mild weather of California. Jenny pulled up the sleeves on her jacket, yet Jethro seamed unfazed as they got in one of the bright yellow taxis that waited in the bay. Jenny got in and told the elderly man in the front where they wanted to go whilst Jethro loaded their bags. Finally they were underway. Inside the cab was warm, and so Jenny took off her jacket, and for once Jethro too, and they opened the window, relishing the cool breeze through the heat they hadn't been having in DC of late.

Jethro too Jenny's hand off of her knee and intertwined it with his own. She looked over and smiled before softly kissing his knuckles. "I can't wait to see the place. " Jenny said with a bright smile. "Ali seemed so excited about it, said she was getting artwork done for it this week, menus and stuff too."

"She asked me to bring any pictures of mates I had that had lost their lives in battle." He said it quietly, and Jenny was surprised.

"She's doing a memorial wall, instead of the messages back in the Duke, she'd doing fallen comrades. The barmen and even the chef are former armed forces; she wants to make the place special." Said Jenny with a smile. Then a thought crossed her mind. "Did you bring any?"

"Yeah, a few." She smiled, and kissed his cheek, not forcing him to reveal anymore. Still with her hand in his she looked out of the window. They'd passed the sea half an hour ago and now were in a very dusty area. Soon though, Jenny watched a town appear, filled with military influence. Slowly she watched the street get narrow because she saw the place. It was a repaired run down, but Ali had been right, there was something magical about it. There was an amazing view from the sea, and a grassy bank where she thought she might sit with a cup of coffee come morning. They were not staying with Ali, but instead in a small hotel back in the town, but Jenny had told the guy to come here and that they would walk into town so that they got to know where they were going. As the cab pulled up they both got out, Jethro to the bags and Jenny paying. After the driver had gone Jethro threw his beloved duffel bag over his shoulder and Jenny grabbed her cased, they then smiled and looked out at the sea. "You want to go to the hotel first?" He asked.

"Yeah."

And so they walked through the dusty town to a little hotel and checked into their room before freshening up and then walking back to the bar. When they arrived it was nearly dark and the sound of the sea made them both feel as though they really were on holiday. Walking into the bar they were greeted by the sound of hard work. Jenny smiled as she saw her niece stood ordering people around in a pair of tattered denim shorts and a lemon blouse. Her hair screwed up in bun to keep it out of the way. Jenny looked around; the furnishings were pretty much the same as the ones in DC. But there was an airy quality. The stools were being studded around the edge to make them look decorative, and Ali was instructing a man about a canvas. The image made both Jenny and Jethro smile, it was one of four, the Marie corps logo, the US Navy logo the US air force logo and the US army logo. Under them were smaller versions, only they were of the British equivalent.

"They look good Al." said Jenny with a smile.

"You're here!" She said in a way which much resembled Abby. A smile on her face she walked over. "It looks great doesn't it? I mean I wasn't sure about the British logo's but in the end I thought, you know what? This is my bar and I am proud to be British."

"They look good,"

Al; turned to the workers. "All right guys, nick to off for today, here crack of dawn tomorrow! It's a big day. Ben and James, you two can stay. I want you to try out the food with us." Ali said, pointing to two barmen who were at work. Both were tall and extremely good looking, they had dark hair; one had it cut short, the other like James bond. Jenny watched as they all left, smiling at Ali as they went. Jen could not help but think how good Ali was a playing the boss.

Finally the bar was empty and the three sat down around the bar. "I'm been by the way, you must be Jenny and Gibbs, and Ali had told us all a lot about you." Said the one with the James bond hair.

"She certainly has. James by the way." The one with short hair said.

"It's good to meet you both." Jenny said whilst Jethro grunted. She slapped his shoulder and turned to him. "Be polite!" she said laughing.

He pulled her off of her bar stool and on to his knee. Then he attacked her shoulder whilst she laughed. "I am." He said before kissing her passionately. "To you." He said with a smile. They were both caught up in one another that it took Ali coughing to make them pull apart and notice the awkwardness of the others.

"Stop acting like love sick teenagers!" said Ali with a smile. "James get them both bourbon neat, me a bottle of Sol and then you two something." They both did as they were told, just in time as the chef brought out a selection of platters. They all ate with smiles on their faces and laughing. Jokes were told yet looking at her niece, Jenny could tell that she had still not gotten over what happened in DC and that she was still heartbroken. The night ended with Ali on her new guitar, and things were well and good. But Jenny knew there was a part of her niece that was not fully there, a small smile instead of the massive one. Eyes closed and music slowly instead of a quick pace and a light tune. But as she sat with Jethro, they both knew that they would do whatever it was that they could to get her back to the woman she had been before.


	13. Springsteen

**Disclaimer – ncis is not mine **

**Authors note – okay, so thankyou for all f the support, this is the last chapter, there is just the epilogue left to come which will be up in a few days, I have a week of exams though so I'm not sure when.**

**Thanks again, and I hope you all enjoy this,**

"_You looked at me and I was done, we were just getting started, I was singing to you, you were singing to me, I was so alive never been more free" Springsteen by Eric Church – this completely fits Ali and Tony's relationship _

_**Friday**_

The sun shone down on San Diego: warm and almost muggy in the spring. It was only eight in the morning, and yet the sky was already bright blue, with the promise of another perfect day. At the small hotel in which Jenny and Jethro were residing, things were beginning to come alive. But in their room, the door was open slightly, allowing the breeze to filter in. In bed they lay, her head on his chest as she slept peacefully, meanwhile his hand ran slowly through her hair as he watched her. A smile on her face and eyes so elegantly closed. The white sheets had pooled down around their waists in the night, and that was where they still were. He found it funny how no matter what the weather she could not sleep without something around her shoulders. Both back in DC when the nights were cool and here she always had the sheets around her, even though she had stuck her feet out in a hope to cool down.

Outside the sound of the sea was faintly able to be heard as it came crashing in, the sound of the small town coming alive with locals was surrounding them. It was not a place that got many tourists aside from visiting Marines. The sound of birds tweeting in the early morning had roused him from slumber – not that he minded of course, not when he woke to see a beautiful redhead sleeping beside him.

A small moan escaped her lips and he watched as ever so slowly her eyes fluttered open - closing them almost immediately at the brightness of the light. He smiled, leant down and kissed the top of her hair. He watched as the corners of her mouth lifted up in a smile. "Morning." He said, before she nuzzled into his neck, wanting to go back to sleep.

"What time is it?" She mumbled, still hiding her head.

"Nearly quarter past eight." He said, smiling.

"Erg . . ." She moaned once more. He then felt her lips press against his shoulder as she placed a chase kiss. She then moved her head and with a wicked smirk she kissed him passionately, teasing him as she always did.

"Mmm . . . Jenny we need to go to the bar." He said, knowing she would want to be there.

"Later." Was her only response before she kissed him once again, just as passionately.

Meanwhile over at the bar, Ali had been awake for what felt like hours. She'd been awake before sunrise, and had already cut the grass around the bar, the long overgrown strands were now short and in order. She was dressed in casual clothes: pair of khaki shorts and a thin loose fitting cotton t-shirt, and she finally began to get on with washing the windows. Her hair was once more tied up and out of her face, she was lathered up in sun cream, not wanting to burn in the heat her skin was not used to.

With her aviator sunglasses on her nose she watched as the soap suds ran down the glass currently covered with a mixture of sand, dust and wood. Why she was washing them when she would only need to do the same later on after the sign had been put up she didn't know, but she was restless and needed to be doing something.

She rung out the big yellow sponge and began to wipe again as a Marine truck slowed down. She heard the horn pip twice and it made her smirk. No matter where you were, marines wanting women never changed!

"You want a strong guy to help you there darlin'?" He questioned, winking. She turned to see a very muscular man, dressed in his uniform leaning out of the truck. His head was shaven from what she could see, and if she hadn't just broken up with Tony then she would consider flirting back.

"Thanks, but considering I got this place up an' running, I think I'll pass." She said walking over, swaying her hips: _who says I can't have a little fun _she thought. "However, if you come by tonight I got some bands playing, the bar'll be serving. And if you make a good impression on the landlady, well there might just be summort in it for yer after all." She said, smiling. It was strange how from time to time her Yorkshire accent came flooding through, it made her laugh at the shock on their faces when they realised British people didn't speak like they did in the movies.

"Oh yeah? And who's the land lady darlin'?" He asked. She smirked and began to walk back, swaying her hips once more. She paused halfway, spun around and smiled.

"Well squaddy, that'd be me." And with that she got back to work. She heard the rest of his mates laugh in the truck before they drove off. She smirked as she got the window clean and moved on to the rest of them. From time to tie she heard blasts of music as James and Ben attempted to get the sound system working. It made Ali laugh, as the sound of the pair squabbling reached her.

Half an hour later she had finished the windows and walked into the bar. They were both banging heads – literally – as they tried to get it to work. "Do you have a clue what you're doing?" She asked, startling them both and making them once bang their heads.

"Well it is harder than it looks!" Ben said as he emerged, his hair sticking up in all directions.

"Really! And you call yourselves marines!" She said laughing her head off as she went behind the bar and into a back room.

James turned to Ben, "Right." He said sighing. "That is the first speakers set up." He said with a smile.

"Yeah, great!" Ben said as he turned to the next one. "Only three more to go!"

Ali re-emerged five minutes later, two cans of cold coke in one hand and a coffee in the other. She tapped them both on the back and handed them over. Both of them were the closest things to friends she had in Diego, and she wanted to keep them that way. Ali walked outside in the sun and down towards the bank Jenny had admired the night previous. She sat down and watched the sea come in, watched the boats far off and smiled.

Jenny smiled and looked in the mirror. It was now gone half past nine and she had just finished din the shower. She'd towel dried her hair and it was already near enough dry, she grabbed her hair serum and put some on to stop it frizzing. She then went into the wardrobe where she had unpacked her clothes and grabbed a bottle on sun cream and began putting it on. Jethro came out and smiled. He was dressed in a pair of jeans and white undershirt, Jenny smirked _how does the heat not affect him?!_ She thought.

"You want anything passing?" He questioned.

"Yeah, can you grab me my bleached denim shorts, white strappy vest top and blue chequered shirt please?" She asked fluttering her eyelashes. Jethro rolled his eyes at her before doing as she asked. When he passed her the clothes she got changed before they left. She'd grabbed a big brown soft leather bag and a pair of – for one flat – strappy sandal.

They walked hand in hand down the street, stopping off at a small bakery on their way to grab coffee and a croissant for their breakfast. Then finally they arrived at the bar. As soon as they arrived, Ali was walking across the grass. "Well I wonder what took you two so long?!" She said sarcastically with a smile. "Well whilst you two have been gone, I've cut the grass, washed the window and flirted with marines!" She said before walking away.

"Alison!" Said Jenny, before she just laughed.

"Like aunt like niece!" Said Jethro from beside his red head. She just slapped his arm and smirked before walking off. As soon as she got in Ali told them to dump their bags and get to work. Jenny and Jethro both smirked and then it was time to get working. Ali had him help her as the man putting the sign up had arrived and needed help. Meanwhile Jenny was busy behind the bar; she was setting up all the spirits and things out and then cleaning all of the glasses once more.

The day rolled on smoothly, and by the time half past four came they were all shattered. The bar would open at seven and then needed to change, so she sent Jenny and Gibbs back to their hotel to get changed. That evening as they sat in the room, Jenny smiled. She sat with heated curlers in her hair and was applying her makeup. "What is making you smile?" asked Jethro as he emerged back in the room with two ice cold bottles of Corona in his hands.

"I feel so proud of her Jethro." She said with a smile. He walked over and hugged her, before handing her the bear.

"Me too Jen, me too." He said, smiling and kissing her forehead.

Jenny stood up and smiled, with her hair still in curlers and walked over to the wardrobe where she stood for a moment before pulling out a white halter neck dress, which was lose and fell just above her knees. The neckline had small daisies and it and at the back it fell low. The white looked whiter against her long red hair in its curls once she had taken it down. She went to her jewellery and pulled on a thick bracelet and little stud earrings. She then placed on her strappy silver wedge heels and then turned to Jethro. "You look amazing Jenny." He said, but it was different to the other times, he said it in a way that made her stop and look at him.

A smile formed on her face. "Thank you." She said, walking over and kissing him, he pulled her into a hug.

"I love you Jenny, I really do." She pulled back and looked up at him, slightly taken aback.

"I love you too." She replied softly.

"Jen, when we get back to DC." HE began, not quite meeting her eyes. "Will you move in with me?" She smiled, a big smile that went from ear to ear, she looked at him. Placing her finger under his chin she caught his lips before cupping his face. When they pulled apart she caught his eyes.

"Yes, I will." She said, forcefully to convince him. He smiled the proper smile that so few people saw and then he pulled her into a deep kiss, he hand going around his neck and his around her waist to the bare skin that he stroked with his finger. When they parted neither wanted to move, but both knew that they had to. So she grabbed an evening bag and they left the room. With his hand around her waist she leant into him and then they walked down to the bar. It was quarter past seven when they stepped into the bar and both were more than pleased to see that it was busy. Behind the bar, James and Ben were busy working, both wearing long sleeved smart shirts, with the sleeves rolled up. They had smiles on their faces and were laughing and chatting with the costumers.

Jenny looked around, still stood with Jethro's arm around her waist. She saw Ali over in the corner wearing a skater style skirt in black and an emerald green sleeveless blouse; it had a black collar and black buttons on it. She had on a pair of black heels with a platform. Her hair was down, yet the top layers were taken back. She had heavy black eye shadow and pale pink lipstick on. As Jenny looked over at her, laughing and smiling, she found it contagious.

Hearing a song she recognised Jenny saw that somehow Ali had managed to get her favourite singer at the bar: Eric Church. Jenny smiled as she saw the dark haired man singing, the sound system that had taken so much time to get set up working brilliantly. They sat down at the only empty booth and smiled. Ali caught sight of them and brought over two glasses of bourbon. She sat down opposite them. "You have done an amazing job Al." said Jenny as she looked at her niece."

"Thank you. I feel as though this could be the start of something big Aunt Jenny." Said Ali with a smile. They both looked over to the bar where James and Ben were showing off as they mixed Cocktails for the women. All three of them smirked and laughed as Ben nearly dropped his shaker. Jethro pulled jenny closer so that her head was resting against his shoulder and they both smiled, life was good, and neither was denying that.

Ali watched them both and smile. One day she hoped she'd be able to trust someone so that she could fall in love like her aunt had. She looked over at the two barmen and smile, remembering what she and Jenny had done back when they had first started the bar, and then she got an idea. Leaning across she told her aunt and they walked up to the bar.

"Alright boys, let us show you how it is really done." Ali nodded to the singer to signal that he should play something fast, and he did. So in time with the music both Ali and Jenny simultaneously made a Blue horizon cocktail. They chucked the shakers back and forth as though they were dancing or performing gymnasts in the Olympics. They showed off just like the barmen did in the film cocktail.

It was ironic, that at that moment, the woman Tony was in love with was re-enacting the scene from a film he was watching. Sat with McGee and Abby, they had bears in their hands, empty pizza box in front of them, watching that very film. Watching Cocktail.

That night, at the bar, the opening went amazingly. Ali ended up behind the bar, unable to resist. A smile was on her face the whole time. As the evening drew out and she went for a break, she asked Jenny to go outside with her. She did willingly whilst Gibbs talked with one of the Marines who was in the bar and based at the base only a few meters away. Jenny was glad for the cooler air as she stepped outside, the breeze causing the bottom of her dress to sway slightly. She smirked as Ali lit a cigarette. "I'm going to stop." She said honestly, and Jenny believed her. Mainly because after tonight Jenny saw just how much her nice could achieve if she put her mind to it.

"I believe you." She said with a smile. They stood there in silence for a few minutes, listening to the sound of the sea crashing as the tide came in.

"I wanted to talk to you about this whole me kind of thing." She said, not meeting Jenny's eyes.

"Okay." Jenny said almost hesitantly.

"I . . . I've been thinking this week, about what I'm going to do." She closed her eyes, sighing. "I'm going to stay in Diego Jenny. I opened my heart to him and he broke it, and I don't think that I can carry on doing this anymore. It's time for me to start a new chapter. The Duke is what it is, it's sustained, it's known, and with you there and the new barmen, it's in safe hands. I'm going to look after the Duchess for a year or two, then who knows, I'm going to create an empire."

Jenny smiled. "I'm proud of you A, and so would your mum and dad be."

"Thank you. So who know, a few years there will be bars all over the states, Miami's maiden, Phillies princess, Brooklyn's boss, who knows." Jenny hugged her niece, and she smiled. "I know that you wanted me to be back in DC-"

"No, no Ali I just want you to be happy. And I hope that you will be."

That night, to the sound of Eric Church, the song that had started all of those weeks ago, a chapter ended. For Jenny it was the start of the perfect life, the life living with Jethro and being happy. For Ali, it was the chapter of making a name for herself, because who knew what may happen. She'd had her heart broken but maybe in the future she'd be able to trust again. So that night, they all began what was their next chapter.

When Jenny and Ali had stood behind that bar of the DC's Duke for the first time all those years ago, neither one of them had known what it would become. Known that it would be he first of a series of bars that would over the next decade take over the states. Their lives hadn't been easy, but neither had anticipated the entire fin they had had experienced, all the love and laughs, and there were still a lot to come. And it was all thanks to a life behind bars . . .


	14. Undermine

**Disclaimer – I do not own NCIS**

**Authors note – I want to thank everyone for their support, it really does mean a lot to me. Thank you for sticking with me this long and I hope you all enjoy this final chapter. Keep a look out for my new story which will be up in a few days. Enjoy **

"_Sometimes good intentions, don't come across so well" – The song Undermine, sung by the character Juliette Barnes in the show Nashville (so addicted to this show, and Rayna/deacon!) _

_**5 years later . . .**_

At one point or another in everyone's lives, we all sit and wonder where we might be this time next year, and the year after that. . .

We all sit and wonder what job we will end up doing, what house we will have and whether we'll be married, are parents or maybe just single. We all wonder, and dream out our perfect life. Where, if everything went according to plan, we'd like to end up. But as time goes on, and we play the cards that life deals us, we begin to watch as that dream slowly moves farther and farther out of reach. We have to watch, and dream that with some mad turn of events we'll get that dream. Yet sometimes, the turns on the road life takes are too much to get us back to where we want to be. Instead of where we want to be, we end up miles off course.

That day when Jenny failed her fitness she thought that her whole world was about to collapse around her feet. That everything she wanted, everything she'd dreamt of was over. Yet then there was the Duke, and Ali, and few years later Jethro. Standing next to her looking all too handsome, complementing Ali and attempting to flirt before being cut off as work called.

When he'd stood at their graveside all those years ago, his whole life buried six feet under, and then she had wondered what the hell he was supposed to do. Because it had felt to him like someone had placed him in his grave, and left it open. Like somehow he was supposed to scale the wall when all they did was crumble at every attempt. Somehow though, through a mixture of work, boats and bucket load of bourbon he'd got to the point where he could at least attempt. Then she'd turned up, with her red hair and longlegs, holding out a hand. And all of a sudden he was wrapped up in her smile, suffocated by her laugh, and imprisoned by her hand holding his heart.

As time passed, to say nothing changed would be wrong, but say things fell apart would be wrong. Because as time passed and they moved on, they stayed together. Whether it would be holding hands or drinking coffee, laughing at jokes then kissing in the rain. Dates that ended in dancing in the silence of night on a back street, deserted at night time. Life seemed as though someone had just flicked a switch and made things happy again, made them both smile.

He was still the same cold as stone former marine who took no nonsense. She was still the same flirtatious and hard working woman she'd been. But now there was a smile on both on their faces. It turned out when Marrow found out Jenny had worked in the police; he'd gotten her file and been extremely impressed. Now she worked for NCIS, talking with victims of invasive cases, young children, and distressed victims. Jenny was thriving, she saw Jethro more often and he loved to watch her work. She'd talk with suspects on occasion and he'd watch from behind the glass, admiring the way she'd gently probe and poke until the truth revealed itself.

As for Ali, well it turned out putting her business and work as a priority had turned out for the best. Over the last five years she'd opened three more bars, LA's Angel, Virginia's Voice, and Montana's Maiden. She'd become a big name, with every bar near a marine base. Things were amazing for her, she'd toned down the style, making it slightly more businesslike, but she was still the same girl. Still single, much to her discontent though.

Now though, now the whole of their miss mashed, completely bonkers family was gather in San Diego at the bar. The one that had made her choose her career. Everything was amazing. They were gathered there to celebrate Jenny and Jethro's wedding, however none of the group, except for the two, Ali and Ducky knew about it. Last week Ali had been up in Dc, and one afternoon, when Jethro had finished early, they'd sat in the park and decided to finally do it. They'd been engaged for four year, he'd proposed whilst they were sat in interrogation one time. He'd told her that there was a suspect in there, only it was a ring. Both of them had been so busy, working none stop. So when she walked into the cold grey room and seen the blue velvet box sat on the table she'd been completely confused, that was until he'd asked her to marry him through the sound system. Spinning around she'd been confused until he appeared at the door.

So that day, they'd looked at each other, gone home, got changed and rung Ali and Ducky for witnesses. An hour later, him in a suit and open neck shirt and her in a green sun dress, they'd gotten married. It'd been spontaneous and out of the blue. It had been perfect though, just them. That weekend they had gone up to the lodge in the woods that Jethro owned for the weekend. And now they were all gathered here. Everyone; from Tom Marrow who had been like an uncle, to Abby – their youngest child.

The summer was in full swing, it was a Saturday, and Ali had grabbed a load of blankets and put them all outside the bar. The Duchess had run its self for years now, so she didn't need to be working. Now she sat along with the rest of them laughing. Ali was sat there, between Abby and Ben the barman who had come out on his break. Tony was sat across from her, but neither of them had said a work to one another. Instead they just kept passing glances between one another.

Jenny and Jethro were sat together, her practically on his knee, laughing and smiling. Both were kissing one another frequently, just as they should considering they were newlyweds. "Do you think we should tell them?" She asked, whispering in his ear.

"Can do." He said, kissing next to her ear. She swatted his arm with a smile.

"You want to tell them?" She questioned, all the while still laughing at his antics.

"Nah, you can." He said, wrapping his arms around her waist.

Smiling Jenny looked at the group of them. "Right you lot, listen up." She said, watching as they all fell silent and looked at her. "Last week, when we both had the afternoon off. We..." She paused and looked over to where Ali sat smirking, or more likely desperately trying to hide a massive grin. "We got married." She looked at them all and couldn't help but laugh at their shocked faces. Abby was the first to react she squealed and crawled over the blanket before hugging Jenny and Jethro, not giving them time to separate.

The rest of the team soon regained their composure; they all laughed, and congratulated the pair, hugging them freely and happily. Ducky and Ali of course already knew, but still congratulated the pair anyway. And so the rest of the day began to go on, Ali went back to the bar and grabbed her guitar from behind the bar. The whole place was silent, the wind blowing lightly, the symphony of the sea playing silently in the background and the smiles on everyone's faces. So as Ali picked up her guitar, and sat on the floor began to strum away, Jenny and Jethro lay on the mat, her head on his chest.

Once upon a time, the team seeing their boss like this would be a surprise. Tony would have been sprouting sarcastic comments and McGee would have been looking more than a little uncomfortable, and once upon a time they were. But over the last five years there had been many moments where they had to sit and see their boss acting all loved up with Jenny. And it had now gotten to the point where they were all more pleased about their boss being happy than they were uncomfortable about it.

Jenny Cast her eyes over to where her daughter was beginning to sing and strum the beets of one of the songs that had been all over the radio recently after the new show Nashville had hit the screen. Of course it being based around country music Ali had immediately fallen in love with the songs.

Ali sat there, although she had toned her style down for work, today she was back to being the same old Ali they all loved. She had angle cut, frayed denim Levis shorts on, with Dr. Martin's boots, black with flowers all over them. She then had a white blouse on that was made of a thin chiffon material, tucked into her shorts and had black collars and black cuffs. Her hair had grown and she now had a full fringe which was feathered at the edges, the rest of her hair was curled.

Her perfectly pitched voice filled the air as she sung the lyrics.  
"And if I've only got one shot  
won't waste it on a shadow box,  
I'll stand right here

"It's all talk, talk, talk  
Talkin' in the wind  
It only slows you down  
If you start listenin'  
And it's a whole lot harder to shine, Than undermine  
Yeah, undermine

"First mile is always harder  
When you're leaving what you know  
Won't blame you if you stay here  
Waving to me as I go  
Always wished the best for you  
Thought that you would see me through my wildest dreams  
Yeah, the ones you thought I'd never make" Her eyes looked up from her finger pained with black nail varnish to catch Tony's eyes. She knew from the rest of the team that he had not settled down, not had a decent relationship since her. But what none of them knew was neither had she. Every guy had been subconsciously compared to the Italian. And she wanted now nothing more that to go back in time and not spend those three weeks down here in Diego, so that it would never have happened.

"Still, you would trade your best day  
Just to have your way  
all these years  
and if you only had one shot  
maybe all this talk  
would disappear

"It's a whole lot harder to shine  
Yeah, it's a whole lot harder to shine, than undermine  
Yeah, undermine

"Sometimes good intentions  
don't come across so well..." She sang the last two lines without any music, and the whole time her and Tony ere looking at each other. Both wanted to get away from the group and talk. But that wouldn't happen anytime soon. She smiled as she looked at her family, even if she wanted to escape. And once they had all told her she was amazing she asked who wanted a drink, of course it was bears all round. Her eyes fell to tony and she nodded toward the bar telling him to follow her.

She waited just inside the back door of the bar for him to join her. A few moments later he did. She smiled and looked at him, his hair was longer than it had been, and he'd been working out more. He was wearing jeans that fit too well and a t-shirt that did nothing but emphasise his now much stronger muscles. She looked down avoiding his eyes; the ones that she knew would make her melt to the ground. "You good Al." He said his voice soft and smooth.

"Thanks." She replied, feeling a blush rise on her cheeks. "You've been working out." She commented.

"Yeah, I have." He responded. He looked in her eyes, knowing in that moment he wanted nothing more than a second chance. "Ali, look I know I messed up big time, but I . . . I was-" He was cut off as she placed her finger on his lips and smirked, before he could comprehend what was happening she learnt up and captured his lips in a gentle kiss, soft and sweet.

"One more chance." She said, completely serious. He smiled, loving how beautiful she looked in that moment.

"You won't regret it." He said before crashing his lips down onto her and kissing her passionately, his hands going to her hips whilst hers went to his hair. What they didn't know was Jenny was stood near the door smirking after Jethro had told her to check and see if they were alright or killing each other. With a smile on her face she walked back over and sat down next to Jethro.

He saw her smile, and slightly baffled asked her why. "Let's just sat I've got my niece back." She said before kissing his cheek.

"She's given him a second chance?"

"Yeah, she has." And with that they kissed properly. Ten minutes later, with slightly dishevelled hair Ali and tony returned, beers in hands. That day as they sat on the bank, smiles on their faces and surrounded by family they were all more than consent. Life had dealt them all a round of cards that they all had a chance of winning with, and that was a very good feeling.

**Please leave me a review to tell me what you thought! **

**Thanks, _fashiongirl97**


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